Snapdragon's World
by HappyAuriga
Summary: Long before he was born, a seer left a message for Severus Snape. It reveals to the potions master that in another universe, he got the girl and they had a daughter. This story is about said daughter.
1. To See or Not To See

**Snapdragon´s World**

**To see or not to see**

Life was depressing. For the umpteenth time during the last two months Severus wondered why exactly he had agreed to Dumbledore´s crazy plan. He should have faced Azkaban. Or he should have chosen death. Anything but this! How was he supposed to wait for the boy for a decade? How was he to stand teaching, a profession he´d never chosen on his own volition?

Harry Potter, son of his schoolday nemesis, James Potter, was safely put at his aunt´s – not that this was a desirable place to be at for anybody and if the boy hadn´t been who he was he´d have pitied him – and he was entitled to stay so for another ten years.

Dumbledore had argued that the boy was going to need guidance and protection once he left the muggle world and reentered his parents´, but how was he, Severus Snape, ex-deatheater and spy, friendless loner and socially inept, to be of any assistance to the boy? He´d have gone crazy long before the boy left Petunia´s care.

Severus hated breakfast at the Great Hall. Had he had a say in it, he´d have had all his meals in his dungeon quarters, where it was dark and cold and lonely like he deserved. What good was it to see others chat idly when he could never be a part of it? His colleagues mistrusted him. They had been his teachers until some years ago, they knew which company he had kept then and – undoubtedly – they all suspected which way he had chosen after his graduation.

Dumbledore, however, didn´t allow him to hide in his dungeons, but insisted he came to the Great Hall trice a day. Severus had no idea why the headmaster would enjoy torturing him when he claimed to need him, but whatever the man´s motives, it wasn´t in Severus´ power to deny him.

"Mr. Snape?" Sybill Trelawney blinked at him questioningly from behind her thick glasses. Severus stifled a sigh. Of course, of all his colleagues, it was this woman who talked to him. This woman, who had made the prophecy, the prediction, Lily´s death sentence. The seer was entirely unaware of the loathing Severus harboured against her. "May I speak with you?"

Severus gestured at the empty seat beside him, giving in to what he couldn´t avoid.

"I happened to find a prophecy today," the other professor said in a hushed voice as she sat down and sent the thousands of pearls and beads she was wearing clicking as they collided.

"Really?" Severus couldn´t resist raising a brow.

"Indeed," the woman continued, oblivious to his sarcasm. "It was made by my ancestor Kassandra Trelawney. You´ve heard of her, of course." Severus hadn´t. He hadn´t taken Divination as a student and as Kassandra Trelawney hadn´t been mentioned in Professor Binn´s History classes, it was safe to assume that he hadn´t missed much.

"How can you FIND a prophecy?" Severus asked despite himself.

"She wrote a diary, which she left to me. Of course, she knew I´d be the next in the family to possess the inner eye. There are many empty pages. She bewitched them to reveal what she saw when the time is ripe for the world to know. I look through the pages every day. Today I found a new one."

"Which you´re telling me because...?" Severus asked, careful to hide his hatered.

"It is about you!"

"About me?" Severus snorted.

"Definitely." Trelawney rummaged in her handbag and produced a battered old journal. She leafed through the pages and leaned closer to allow Severus to read when she had found what she was looking for.

_Daughter of mine_, the diary said,

_Kindly pass on this message to the eavesdropper caught for it will put his soul to rest._

_Double, double toil and trouble; _

_Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. _

_Double, double toil and trouble _

_Something wicked this way comes _

_Eye of newt, and toe of frog, _

_Wool of bat, and tongue of dog, _

_Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting, _

_Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing - _

_Double, double toil and trouble; _

_Fire burn, and caldron bubble. _

_Double, double toil and trouble _

_Something wicked this way comes _

_In the cauldron boil and bake; _

_Fillet of a fenny snake, _

_Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf; _

_Witches' mummy; maw and gulf _

_Double, double toil and trouble; _

_Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. _

_Double, double toil and trouble; _

_Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. _

_Something wicked this way comes._

Wonderful. Just what Severus needed. A dead seer mocking him. "How is this supposed to be a prophecy?" He had to use all his willpower not to curse the despisable woman there and then.

Sybill Trelawney, who had no idea about muggle literature at all, glared at him. "It´s quite obvious, isn´t it?" she snapped back. "In fact I´ve never seen one that plain. She saw, undoubtedly, that you´re not apt at divination."

"And what does she want to tell me with this song?"

"Song?" Trelawney pursed her lips and slid the diary back into her bag. "I´d say it is a potions recipe. Not that I´m an expert." She stood abruptly and left.

Severus thought about what Trelawney had said. Was it possible? There were, in fact, rumours that William Shakespeare had been a wizard. Were they true? And if so, had he left a potions recipe in plain view?

The idea was intrigueing. Identifying the ingredients – he had to use his personal copy of Macbeth – was easy, but there were no clear instructions on how much to use and how to actually brew. Severus spent a whole weekend trying to solve the puzzle, if it was one. It was amazing what a man would do if he was bored – lonely was such a harsh word – enough. If nothing else he at least gained two days during which he didn´t wish to be dead.

Although he thought he had translated the text into a modern potions recipe, Severus hesitated to try it out. It would mean to admit belief in the ´prophecy´. It wasn´t before February that the young potions master gave in to his curiousity. If he was honest with himself, he had to admit that Valentine´s day brought his loneliness to a new level of awareness and he needed some kind of distraction, but if asked he would – of course – claim to follow scientific interests.

The brewing took a whole day. Severus had no idea what he was brewing, though he was fairly sure the concoction wasn´t dangerous.

When he added the last ingredient – a newt´s eye, adding it earlier would make the potion explode, he was sure of that – the potion became a light pink and a silvery mist rose from its surface. Severus found the mist most intrigueing. In fact, he couldn´t have taken his eyes off it if he´d tried. But why would he try?

The cloud wavered to and fro while it grew. It was mostly silver, but there were flicks of pink and lilac here and there. The mist formed patterns as it rose. There were spirals and twists. At moments Severus thought it was alive. Then, all of a sudden, a window opened in the mist. It was a bit like a small muggle television. Severus leaned forward to see better.

There was he, on a sofa. His legs rested lazily on the cushions, he wore muggle jeans and a shortsleeved chequered shirt and no shoes or socks. He was reading a book. Was this his future? It couldn´t be, for he looked not much older than he was, if at all, and his left forearm was unmarked. If there had been a trace of doubt, it was destroyed only a moment later.

"Sev, love, can you take Snapdragon while I prepare her dinner?"

Severus gasped. It was none other than Lily, his Lily, who bent down to kiss him and hand him a toddler.

"Of course, sweetheart," his other self said with a smile. It was amazing, how his features softened and lost their crudeness by this simple gesture. Curious, Severus tried to see better.

The child in his lap was, as he had guessed by the name, a little girl. She had a mane of flaming red hair, just as Lily´s, Lily´s delicate nose and lips, her elegant brows. She looked, in fact, like a miniature Lily Evans. She did, but her eyes. They were nearly black, just like his. This child was, despite her resemblance to her mother, beyond any doubt, his. So it was, almost certainly, not Lily Evans, but Lily Snape.

Severus tried to back away from the cruel display. Why had a dead seer tricked him into seeing what wasn´t and couldn´t be? Moreover, what he had lost by sheer stupidity? The mist, however, didn´t let him go. It held him in a firm grip and he had to watch on as his other self played with the little girl. He summoned a teddy bear and the child babbled at him happily and chewed the bear´s ear in turn.

"Did you hear from Albus?" Lily asked when she returned with a bowl of pap. Merlin, he had almost forgotten how beautiful she was! He had seen her only once or twice from afar after their graduation. The Lily Evans in his memories was a beautiful girl, but the Lily in the silvery mist was a stunning woman. It hurt beyond measure to see her kiss him and not feel her lips.

"No. But he´s due for his weekly visit tomorrow. We´ll hear all the important news firsthand then."

"Good," said Lily. "I hate being left in the dark. Come here, Snapdragon, time for dinner. You´re looking forward to your godfather´s visit, aren´t you?" She talked all the time while she positioned the little girl in her high chair. Little Snapdragon – Severus thought they must have been out of their minds to call her that – fidgeted in anticipation.

Severus, both versions of him, watched Lily feed the baby. "Time for bed, say good night to Daddy," the young woman cried happily when the little girl had eaten her last spoonful. Snapdragon waved good night obediently and Severus felt a jolt of pain when Lily refered to him as ´Daddy´. Lily turned to the Severus on the sofa. "I´ll be back in an instant."

The other Severus smiled. "Will you care for a glass of wine, when you come back? If I open the bottle now, it has time to breathe."

"Yes, please." Lily winked and blew him a kiss. Sofa-Severus looked mischieveously. It had to be a game they played frequently. Severus wondered what was going to happen when Lily returned.

He watched his other self get up and fetch a bottle of wine from a cabinet, open it and set out two elegant glasses. This done, the other Severus returned to his sofa and resumed reading. Suddenly there was a clattering sound in the hall. Both Severuses started and listened intently. What was it?

Then the living room door was opened from outside.

Severus blood froze. The sofa-version of himself pointed his wand at the Dark Lord, who stood in the doorway, searching the room with those cruel, crimson eyes. Severus – sofa-Severus – sent a spell at the dark wizard, but it was deflected lazily. "Lily! It´s him! Take Snapdragon and run!" Helpless, Severus watched the monster point his wand at his other self. There was a green flash of light and the mist was gone.

Severus stared into his cauldron. The formerly pink potion had gone a muddy grey. The vision of Lily and the baby was gone. For a moment Severus felt a desperate desire to see more, but then he remembered he knew the outcome. Lily was going to die protecting her child, be it Harry Potter or Snapdragon Snape. She´d give her live to safe the child´s and trust in her friends to protect the baby when she no longer could.

Somebody whimpered and it took Severus a moment to realise that it was him. He hoped with every fibre of his being that little Snapdragon would find some good souls to take care of her. Dumbledore and the Order, he thought, would do it. They´d help the little girl. Dumbledore and Moody, maybe even Potter and Black. On second thought he wasn´t sure about Black, but Potter had courted Lily ever since he had seen her for the first time. Potter, being the Gryffindor he was, was going to protect Lily´s daughter, even if she was also Severus´.

It was as if a veil had been removed from Severus´ future. His life was not useless. He had a purpose, a goal. Lily, his Lily, had died for little Harry Potter. She had done so in hope of others taking over the care for her boy. To protect Harry Potter meant to do Lily´s bidding. Dumbledore had said so back then in November and Severus had agreed, but it was only now that he understood.

He had to be ready, when Harry Potter came to Hogwarts, to protect him. He had to know what Harry Potter needed to learn. He had to remain in his position as Hogwarts´ potions master, to be near the boy and teach him what he needed to be taught.

With a determination he hadn´t felt in months, if not years, Severus started to clean his cauldron. He had enough time to prepare. He was going to be ready. For Lily.


	2. To See More

**To see more**

"Severus!" Minerva McGonagall hurried after the black clad wizard and caught up with him just before he entered the library. She clutched her chest and tried to get her breath again. "I´ve been looking for you."

The potions master watched his older colleague with concern. The witch was, in his opinion, far beyond the age where running was considered healthy. "What can I do for you?" he asked softly.

"Albus has asked me to check on Harry Potter," Minerva explained. "You know how hard it is for our folks to blend in with the muggles," Severus inclined his head, "so I could do with some help. Albus says you know how to do it."

"I´ll gladly be of assistance," said the potions master. "When did you plan to go?"

"Well," the witch mused, "the Dursleys live in a muggle suburb of London. A very quiet area, not many strangers around. When do you suggest we go?"

"If it´s a quiet suburb," said the potions master, "we´ll attract attention no matter when we go. We´d better think of a proper cover story why we are there. What about tomorrow morning? Ten o´clock?"

The witch agreed with a court nod. "What do you suggest I wear?"

"Come," Severus led the way into the library and to the shelves where Mme. Pince kept books and magazines for Muggle Studies, the most neglected section of the library. He chose some magazines, leafed through them and showed the witch some photos. "Do you have anything like that?"

"No," Minerva pursed her lips. "But I´m the transfiguration teacher."

Severus could hardly help laughing, but it wouldn´t be appropriate in the library and it wouldn´t fit his image.

-x-

Severus wore jeans, a longsleeved grey shirt and a black cardigan. He´d magicked his hair short in order not to be recognized by Petunia in case she saw them. His bathroom mirror had suggested he leave it so, but had been quiet after he had threatened to break it. Seven years of additional bad luck would be doddle in comparison to the mess his life was anyway.

Minerva whistled when she saw him. First his mirror, then his colleague. Severus tried to keep a friendly face. It wouldn´t do to insult the witch. Not after the effort he had put into establishing a proper working relationship with his colleagues during the past two years. How was he supposed to help Harry Potter, when he was totally isolated? He had to be on good terms with his co-workers.

The witch wore a dress with flowers on it. Something a muggle woman of her age would wear. She didn´t seem too happy with it, but as she didn´t know much about muggles, she accepted Severus´ advice.

They apparated into a park in Little Whinging.

"Our cover story is that we´re thinking about buying a house nearby. We´re taking a walk to get an impression of the neighbourhood," Severus informed his colleague as they walked towards Privet Drive. "We´re mother and son."

"Why not a couple?" Minerva asked pointedly.

"The age difference isn´t acceptable by muggle standards." Severus said with dignity. Minerva murmured something about small-minded people.

They didn´t have to walk as far as Privet Drive to check on Harry Potter. Petunia Dursley, nee Evans, was walking towards the park. She had two little boys with her. One of them was rather large and blond. He sat on a red tricycle, but was seemingly too lazy to pedal. Petunia was walking bent down in an awkward angle, and pulling the tricycle with the boy by the handle-bar. Some steps behind her was a second boy, small, skinny and black-haired, who was eyeing the blond enviously. This boy, Severus could tell, would gladly pedal, were he allowed to sit on the tricycle.

"Come, Harry," Petunia nagged at the little boy, "don´t hang back. Dudley wants to go to the swings before lunch. Hurry up!"

"Yes, hurry up," echoed the blond boy.

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," said the smaller boy and caught up with his aunt and cousin.

"Now that was easy," said Minerva. "The boy is alright."

"Indeed," agreed Severus, "very easy."

They returned to Hogwarts a quarter hour after they had left.

-x-

Ever since he had seen three-year-old Harry Potter, Severus couldn´t sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, haunted by dreams of a redhaired little girl. How was Snapdragon, the daughter he never had? After he had seen her in that silvery mist of William Shakespeare´s potion two years ago, he had spent several weeks thinking of her and asking himself how she was doing. A part of him wanted to brew that potion again and again to watch over the child every day and it took him quite some time to fight down this irrational urge.

Now the urge was back.

After three sleepless nights in a row – dreamless sleep was going to postpone the nightmares but not avoid them, he had tried it out back then – he gave in to the urge, padded to his lab and put up a cauldron. Since he didn't need to try things out, it was a lot quicker this time. When the silver mist formed he leaned forward eagerly.

He wasn´t even sure he was going to see Snapdragon, but if he saw something else, he could at least find rest by the knowledge that he had tried.

The silver mist wavered to and fro and Severus could see pinkish and lilac patterns. Then the window opened.

It was pitch dark.

Was there something wrong with the potion? Had he made a mistake with the brew? He hadn´t slept properly in a half week, but nevertheless, he was fairly sure that he had done everything right. The brew wasn´t really complicated after all.

Somebody sobbed.

Severus didn´t understand. There was nobody in his lab, so the sobbing must come from the mist. But why didn´t he see anything? Perhaps one of his ingredients had been of inferior quality or old?

Suddenly there was a ray of light in the mist. A door was opened, Severus realised. He hadn´t seen, because he looked into a dark room. The person who opened the door was Petunia. "Come out, girl. Dudley wants to go to the swings." A redhaired little child left its confinement on all fours. "Have you been crying again?" Petunia nagged. "Go and wash your face. Don´t dirty the towels. And comb your hair."

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," the girl scrambled to her feet and wiped her face with her palms before she ascended the stairs.

Severus´ heart missed a beat when he realised where Petunia had let little Snapdragon out from. Petunia kept his daughter in a cupboard under the stairs! There was no doubt that the girl stayed there frequently, because there were a matress and a blanket.

A little later the girl returned. "Get your jacket," ordered Petunia and Snapdragon – she looked exactly like her mother – went into the cupboard to get it from a small pile of clothes at the foot of the matress. Severus shivered with rage. This cupboard was his daughter´s room!

Petunia helped Dudley put on his jacket while Snapdragon wrestled with hers. She kneeled down and helped the boy with the zipper. When her blond son was clothed properly, she fetched a red tricycle from what Severus thought must be the living room. Petunia opened the front door. "Come quickly, we don´t have all day," she urged. "Don´t hang back, Snapdragon."

The last thing Severus saw was Dudley sit on the tricycle before Petunia closed the frontdoor. The moment the door slammed shut, the silver mist wavered and was gone.

Severus didn´t sleep at all that night.

-x-

"Albus, I just watched my four year old daughter fry eggs!" Severus paced the carpet in the headmaster´s office in agitation. "Petunia is making her a house elf!"

"Severus," the headmaster tried to calm his young potions master, "technically you don´t have a daughter!" It was the wrong thing to say. "And a bit of housework is a low price for the safety Petunia´s blood provides."

"Safety?" Severus shouted. "Albus, the child isn´t tall enough to see into the pan! She had to stand on a stool! I thought she´d fall any moment. I won´t even talk about having a pre-schooler work with a hot pan! Do you call that safe?"

"Well, in comparison with Voldemort..."

"Voldemort is gone. At least for the moment."

"Severus, what do you expect me to do? The girl is in a world that is not real."

Snape sighed. "I know that." He stood in front of the headmaster´s desk. "You can´t do anything to help Snapdragon, but do you really think that the real Petunia will treat Potter any different? I think you should remove the boy from that house, Albus."

"That is out of question, Severus. Voldemort may be gone, but he might as well return tomorrow. Petunia´s blood is the best protection Harry has. I won´t take this from him to spare him some chores. And Severus – I really think you should spare yourself the pain. Looking at the child you never had is tormenting you. I´d understand you want to watch over her if you could help her, but you can´t. Nothing is gained by looking into this world."

"How can I abandon her when she´s Lily´s daughter?"

Albus had no answer for that.

-x-

Severus knew that Albus was right. Watching Snapdragon was painful. It wasn´t only that seeing how Petunia favoured her own son over the little girl hurt, but also the sheer sight of the little redhead. Snapdragon was her mother´s spitting image but her eyes. Those black eyes Severus had always thought to make his face cruel and cold didn´t have the same effect in the child´s face. Watching her was a constant reminder of what he´d wanted but never had.

Nevertheless, he had to see how the little girl was doing. It had been a long time since it took him a day of brewing to see her. The components of the draught were on stock in a seperate little cabinet in his private lab. All he had to do was heat a cauldron, boil some water and add the contents of four different vials.

Ah, the living room it was this time. Vernon Dursley sat in an armchair, his face burried in his hands.

"Well, Dursley?"

Severus´ blood froze. He´d recognize Lucius´ Malfoy´s voice anywhere and anytime.

"You already lost your wife," the blond drawled. "Are you willing to lose your son and your own life? Where is the girl?"

Vernon Dursley wimpered.

"You know what I am," Lucius continued, "I have means to make you tell me, but none of them´d be as sweet as betrayal. So, where is the girl? Tell me and I´ll let you and your boy live."

There was a tiny squeak at the far side of the room and a blur of red bolted through the door. Severus stired the cauldron and the image changed (it had taken him over three months to find out how to follow Snapdragon when she left a room). He came to the hall just in time to see the girl slip into the cupboard under the stairs, a sure trap.

"Snapdragon!" he cried out. Stupid child! But then how could a four year old know how to flee a dark wizard? Merlin, Malfoy was going to kill her! With Petunia dead, there was no protection for the girl. And he had to watch helplessly.

"Daddy?" The cupboard door creaked open.

Oh god! "Snapdragon! Can you hear me?"

"Daddy!" Snapedragon left her hiding place and looked up into the hallway mirror.

"Can you see me?"

The girl nodded.

Against all reason, Severus stretched out his hand. "Can you touch me?"

"I don´t know, the mirror is too high. What are you doing in a mirror, Daddy?"

"I´ll explain later, now we have to find out if you can touch me. Pull out the bottom drawer and step onto it. Hurry, my child."

Snapdragon obeyed. Severus tried to hear whether Malfoy was coming. He just hoped that this Malfoy was as arrogant as the one he knew. His old acquaintance would enjoy mocking Dursley before he went after the child.

"I´m still too small!"

"Another drawer! Hurry!" Severus stretched his hand into the mist as far as it would go. It caused a strange tingling feeling. The potions master took it as a good sign. The little girl scrambled up onto the chest of drawers and stretched her hand towards the mirror. Severus struggled to meet her halfway. The living room door opened. "Stretch!"

Suddenly he felt the warmth of a hand on his fingers. Severus pulled with all his might. It was as if a jelly wall was between the two worlds. Their joined hands moved only an inch at a time. Malfoy was going to be faster than he. The thought of his daughter being killed while he held her hand gave the potions master new strenght. He pulled even harder than before and then the wall gave way. Severus stumbled back and fell to the floor.

"Daddy!" The weight of a little girl rested on his chest, but it was the sweetest burden he had ever carried. The little redhead burried her face in Severus´ robes and he closed his arms gently around her. "I knew you´d come! Is Mummy here, too?"

"No, dear," Severus said in a choked voice, "Mummy is not here."

"I´m glad you are here," sobbed Snapdragon.

"I´m here, you are safe," Severus stroked the red locks gently. "Are you hungry?"

Ten minutes later Snapdragon sat on the potions master´s sofa and indulged in a big piece of chocolate cake. Chocolate was smeared over the lower half of her small face. Between spoonfuls she beamed at Severus, who sat in an armchair beside her and sipped tea.

What was he going to do? This little girl thought he was her father, and in some weird way he was, but how was he going to care for her. He knew nothing about little children. And what was even more important, he was in no position to foster the little girl. He was supposed to wait for and help Harry Potter, Lily´s boy. Had he to abandon Lily´s daughter in favour for her son?

He had to talk to Albus.


	3. To Show

**To show **

It was Albus´ turn to pace and pace he did. His long white beard streamed behind him like a flag. From time to time he stood for a moment and stared at Snapdragon, who followed his every move from her seat on the sofa with big eyes. Severus had given up his seat in the armchair in favour for one beside the little girl. He tried to whipe her face clean of chocolate with a handkerchief while Albus paced and the girl looked.

"Is Albus angry with me?" Snapdragon asked at last.

The old wizard stood rooted to the spot. "You know my name?"

"You are my godfather." The child said innocently, pointing out what was obvious for her. "Daddy, has Albus forgotten me? You should have come for me sooner." She scrambled closer to Severus and held on to his side. His arm sneaked around the child of its own volition.

"I was just astonished that you remember. It´s been a long time." Albus smiled, but the usual twinkle missed in his eyes. "Aren´t you tired my dear? Your day was very exciting."

The child nodded. Severus picked her up, carried her to his bedroom and tucked her into his own bed. "Sleep well, Snapdragon," he said gently and turned to leave.

"Daddy, you used to sing me a lullaby."

Severus swallowed hard. A lullaby? He wasn´t sure he even knew one. "I´m a little out of practice," he said softly. "I can sit here with you until you fall asleep." The offer caused a beaming smile on the little girl´s face. "Yes, please," she cried happily and scrambled closer to the wall to make room for Severus on the edge of his bed.

The potions master sat obedienty and watched the child´s lids drop. Thrice the girl´s eyes flew open and were closed with a beatific smile when she saw that he was still there. When he was fairly sure that the child was asleep, Severus tiptoed towards the door. He put up a spell which would allow him to hear Snapdragon from the living room, but wouldn´t let a sound from there to the bedroom. There was no need for the girl to hear the discussion with Albus that was sure to come.

"What did you think?" Albus didn´t bother with preambles. "Did you think at all?"

"I thought," Severus said defensively, "that I couldn´t let Malfoy kill her!"

"If she was intended to die, you had no right to change it!"

"She´s my daughter!"

"Oh, come on, Severus! She´s not. Did you by any means think about what your actions meant for that other world? As Voldemort came after you and Lily, it´s safe to assume that there was a prophecy similar to ours. You stole the child of the prophecy from that world! You doomed a world!"

"She was mere seconds from death! Do you really think that Voldemort will be overcome by a four year old martyr?"

Albus glared at the potions master angrily. "Well, what´s done is done. She needs a place to stay at. She has to be registered with the ministry. Oh Severus, it may well be that you put yourself into more trouble than you´ve ever been in before."

"Which is to say something," mumbled the potions master.

Albus gave a sour nod.

"Will you help me, Albus?"

The headmaster sighed. "What else could I do, my boy, what else? I have an old friend at the ministry who owes me a favour or two. Before I call her, you have to decide what to ask of her."

"I want to be a part of the child's life."

"You can´t be her parent, Severus. You don´t know how."

"If this were a valid argument, nobody could ever have children. I´ll learn how."

"But Harry..."

"I will do whatever it takes to help Harry Potter."

"But what if you have to chose between Harry and the girl."

"Chosing Snapdragon over Harry would doom this world and she´s a part of it. I only ask your word to protect Snapdragon if I can´t because of my duties to the boy."

"You have it."

Superbia Adams came to the headmaster´s office the next day. Severus and Snapdragon had been waiting there for nearly half an hour. Severus and Albus had tea, Snapdragon played with a teddy bear Severus had transfigured for her the evening before. It was an exact copy of the one he had seen his other self give her minutes before his death.

"Well, Albus," the old witch greeted the headmaster as he led her to the sofa and poured her tea, "what is the delicate matter you need my help with?" She eyed the potions master and the little girl curiously.

"I may count on your discretion?" Albus handed her the cup. The witch nodded. "My potions master..."

"...the one we worked so hard to keep out of Azkaban? What has he done now? I won´t help if he violated the stipulations of his probation." The old woman glared at Severus. Snapdragon moved closer to him and stared back uneasily.

"My potions master," Albus continued, "has obtained a daughter."

"Obtained? He didn´t steal her from her mother?"

"No, of course not. It´s a long story."

"Well, I´m all ears."

Albus told the story of the strange potion and the other world, where Lily had been Lily Snape and the child of the prophecy was Snapdragon Snape. Madame Adams asked a question from time to time.

"Is Harry Potter safe in our universe?" she asked when Albus told about how Severus had saved the little girl from Lucius Malfoy.

"I have a guard near his aunt´s," Albus affirmed. "What I ask of you is to register Snapdragon with the ministry. She has no documents in this world. Technically she doesn´t exist. Severus is ready to raise her."

The witch opened her mouth in protest.

"He´ll have help," Albus interrupted her before she could utter one syllable.

"He´s a deatheater."

"Was," Severus and Albus said in unison.

"Even deatheaters have children," Albus added softly. "So why shouldn´t a reformed one have a daughter?"

Madame Adams nodded. "I guess it´s better than an orphanage." She produced parchment and a quill from her handbag. "I need some data. Full name?"

"Snapdragon Snape."

The witch tsked. "You are aware that she´ll have trouble with a name like that? Now is the opportunity to change it."

"Snapdragon Snape." Severus wasn´t going to give up a name Lily had chosen.

"As you wish. Date of birth?"

Severus was taken aback. Was Snapdragon born ´as the seventh month died´? "The 31st of July 1980," said the girl. "I´m four."

"Parents?"

"Severus Snape and Lily Snape, nee Evans."

"Now, that is a no-go. Lily Evans is registered Lily Potter with the ministry. She can´t be Lily Snape at the same time. If you register her as the mother, your girl will technically be Harry Potter´s twin and twins with different fathers won´t be good for Lily´s reputation."

"Can you write Lilian Snape?"

"That I can do and I´ll register the mother as a muggle, so nobody will investigate any further."

"Thank you."

"Well, that´s it. I´ll register the mother as deceased. That way there won´t be any questions why the father has the child. – You will look after the girl, Albus, won´t you?"

"I promise." Albus smiled.

"Well," Madame Adams put down her cup and rose to her feet, "in this case I´ll send you the documents later today. Good luck, Miss Snape, professor."

Severus and Snapdragon left the office a little later and returned to the dungeons. The little girl sat on the carpet in front of the fireplace. "May I ask you something?" she looked up at Severus with those big black eyes.

"Of course."

"You aren´t really my Daddy. You only look like him."

Severus nodded. "This is not a question."

"May I call you Daddy nevertheless?" There was a fear in the girl´s eyes that hadn´t even been there when she tried to hide from Malfoy.

"I insist you do," Severus whispered.

Never before had a word from Severus Snape´s lips made an other person that happy. Severus looked down into the overjoyed little face and he knew that whatever this girl was going to ask of him, he could never deny her.

-x-

The afternoon was the most busy in Severus´ life. He took the girl – his daughter! – shopping to Diagon Alley. There was a lengthy discussion on robes´ colours and styles in which Madam Malkin sided with Snapdragon in a most disgusting way. The woman and girl ignored Severus´ plea for simple, plain robes in favour for robes in gaudy colours like blue, green and yellow. Snapdragon fell in love with a white cloak with yellow and violet Snapdragons on it and Severus found himself nodding at Madam Malkin´s questioning look when the child´s eyes glistened with tears.

They also bought a wide assortment of underwear and stockings, nightdresses (the child refused pyjamas) and several pairs of footwear, including slippers, boots and laced shoes (Snapdragon pointed out that she couldn´t tie laces, but Severus insisted). The only things where Severus got his way, was a dark green winter cloak and a matching green hat. Snapdragon chose an orange scarf and gloves to go with the cloak, but by then Severus was so tired, he didn´t care any longer.

When they left the shop, Severus knew what he had worked for the past two months, but he didn´t mind. He never spent much of his salary, so money wasn´t a big problem.

After their return to Hogwarts, Albus came to Severus´ quarters to adjust them to the potions master´s new needs. Before they could get started, the old wizard had to look at every piece of clothing they had bought. Snapdragon was very strict and glared at Albus when he didn´t ooh and aah in the right places, but the old man seemed to enjoy himself greatly. Once the headmaster had accepted that the little girl´s presence couldn´t be helped, he was the perfect godfather.

When Snapdragon had shown off her new wardrobe to her heart´s content, Albus drew his wand. "I think, friendlier quarters are in order with a child," he murmured. He chanted a spell for a minute or so and the dungeons changed. The room grew, the walls were no longer only cold stone, but draped with carpets and there were windows. Three of them.

Severus went to the nearest. The view was breathtaking. They overlooked the lake and on the left he could see the quidditch pitch. "Where are we?" He asked curiously.

"The East Tower. These quarters have been empty for nearly a century. I hope they´ll be acceptable." The headmaster went to one of the doors. Behind it was a small bedroom with baby unicorns on the wall.

"This is my room!" cried Snapdragon. A second later she hopped on her new bed.

"Yours is next door," Albus pointed Severus in the right direction. "The bathroom, the kitchen – you should have a small kitchen for yourself with a child."

"But Albus, my head of house duties! I can´t live so far from the Slytherin dorms!"

The old wizard beamed at him and opened the quarters´ entrance. Outside was the same dungeon corridor which had been in front of Severus´ quarters for nearly five years. "You can be in your house within a minute, as well as your lab, your office and your classroom. So?"

"So thank you, Albus!"

The rest of the day was spent putting Snapdragon´s things into her cupboard and drawers. She was a little disappointed that she had a toy trunk, but only one teddy bear, but Severus promised to get her more when they had time and she was soothed.

After a quick dinner and bath (the potions master shivered when he saw the lightning bolt scar on the girl´s forehead while washing her hair), Severus tucked the little girl into bed. "Are you up to a little talk, my dear?"

Snapdragon looked very tired, but she agreed.

"I have to explain to you, where your new home is and how our life will work. I won´t be able to be with you all the time, so there are some things you have to know."

The girl nodded seriously.

"This castle," Severus explained, "is Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardry. I´m one of the teachers and Albus is the headmaster. Do you know what a school is?"

Snapdragon looked offended.

"I had to ask, I don´t know you very well yet," Severus pointed out. "There are about three hundred young witches and wizards here to learn magic. It´s important you know how to behave well." He was just going to explain what ´behaving well´ included, when he saw that the girl had fallen asleep.

-x-

"Okay, Snapdragon," Severus said gently for about the tenth time. "We´re going to have breakfast in the Great Hall every day. I need to be there to proctor my house. You´ll..."

"...be a good girl," Snapdragon continued in a precocious fashion. "I will greet the adults respectfully. I will say ´please´ and ´thank you´. I will not speak and chew at the same time. I will not burp."

"And you will not be cheeky, young lady." Severus said sternly.

"Yes, Daddy!" the girl cried happily and hugged Severus´ leg. She wore green robes with tiny embroidered flowers on them and had her hair tamed in a pony tail. Severus had made sure that there was enough of a fringe to cover her scar.

"Let´s go," Severus growled and led the way out of their tower quarters to the dungeon corridor and from there up to the Great Hall. They were fairly late as getting the child ready for the day had taken longer than Severus had anticipated and the hall was already full of students. Severus dreaded the moment the mob had to be told who Snapdragon was. It was going to be so embarrassing! He´d taken the girl into his life gladly, but he really wasn´t looking forward to being revealed to his students as a single father.

The voices and clattering of cuttlery died down as the potions master entered the hall with a little girl by the hand. Severus ignored the curious looks, but Snapdragon looked back at the students with equal curiousity. When they approached the head table, the headmaster got up from his golden chair and came to meet them.

"Snapdragon, my dear," he cried for everybody to hear, "how was your first night in your new quarters?"

"I slept very well, Albus," the girl replied politely.

"I´m so pleased to hear that!" Albus beamed at the child. "Now, where do you want to sit for breakfast?"

Snapdragon looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "I will sit with Daddy! Where else would I sit?"

The assembled students (and teachers) gasped, but Albus ignored them and winked at Severus. "Of course, why didn´t I think about it myself?" He went up to the head table two steps ahead of them and conjured a chair for Snapdragon beside Severus´. Minerva had to move hers a bit to make room for the girl.

The new chair would have the right height for the child once she sat on it, but it was too high for her to sit down on her own, so Severus lifted her onto it without much ado. "Are you comfortable?" he asked gently.

Again the hall gasped. Snapdragon nodded and Severus sat down in his own chair, glaring at the hall at large forbiddingly. Slowly, the chatter and sounds of cuttlery set in again.

"What would you like?" Severus served his daughter cocoa and toast. He helped her butter it before he helped himself to tea.

"So you are Snapdragon?" Minerva asked the child after watching her a while.

The girl swallowed her toast before she answered. "Yes, Madam," she then said in her clear children´s voice, "I´m Snapdragon Snape. My Mummy is dead and Daddy says I´m not allowed to speak and chew at the same time."

Severus nearly choked on his bacon. Minerva stiffled a chuckle. "That is very circumspect of your Daddy," she said solemnly.

"Daddy´s the best," beamed the child and Severus could tell he was blushing like a girl on her first date.


	4. To Take a Closer Look

**To take a closer look**

There had been no time to plan where Snapdragon was going to spend the time Severus was teaching. So Severus had to take her to his classroom. The potions master tried to impress on the little girl that she was to touch nothing and stay at the place he pointed out to her for the whole lesson.

Snapdragon nodded solemnly and promised to be good.

Severus made sure they arrived early for the first lesson, Gryffindor and Slytherin first years. He took Snapdragon to the front seat, which was usually empty anyway, because the students didn´t want to be too close to the teacher and he prefered to have them at a safe distance, so he let them. He gave the girl an old cauldron, a spoon and some old herbs he had put aside, because they were too old to be used as potion ingredients any more.

"You can play you´re a potions master yourself," he smiled at the girl.

"What does a poto master do?" Snapdragon asked curiously.

"A potions master," Severus emphasized the word the little one had gotten wrong, "makes medicine. Among other things. You know what a cough syrup is?"

"Of course," Snapdragon was scandalized. "So what is this for?" She held up the jar of dried lavender.

Severus was going to explain, but the students filed into the room. "Later," he whispered to the girl conspiratorily. The child beamed at him.

After a last smile at his daughter, Severus started a lecture on the uses of powdered crayfish claws. For twenty minutes there was no sound in the classroom but his voice and the scratching of quills. Then followed a lenghty explanation about the differences of saltwater and freshwater crayfish.

"As a homework, you will write an essay on the problems arising by combining saltwater crayfish claws with elder flower in a potion," Severus finished his lecture. "Today´s practical assignment," he waved his wand at the blackboard, "will be a simple infusion, which will help with tooth-ache. As the actual brewing will be short, we´ll work on the theory a bit longer. The recipe is complete but on the information on the crayfish you have to use. The infusion contains one spoonful of lavender, two oak leaves, one gramm of pink pepper and a goose feather."

Severus paced in front of the blackboard to give the students time to process the information. "So," he asked after two minutes, "which sort of crayfish and how much of it are you going to use?"

One hand was raised. "Two spoonfuls of freshwater crayfish claws, Sir?" Bert Malkin was a typical Gryffindor. Brave enough to address his vicious potions master, but no idea about potions. Severus was just going to carp at the wrong answer, but somebody else was faster.

"That´s complete nonsense!" Snapdragon cried in just indignation. "Freshwater crayfish can´t be used with ingredients coming from birds. – A goose is a bird, isn´t it?" She looked at Severus for confirmation.

"Exactly," the potions master agreed. "I couldn´t have explained it better. How do you know that, Snapdragon."

"You just explained it," the little girl pointed out the obvious.

"You see, ," Severus snarled with glee, after a proud smile at Snapdragon, "even a four year old can answer the question. Perhaps this gives you the right impression of the grade of your incompetence. – Anyone else?"

There were no more volunteers.

"One spoonful of saltwater crayfish claws. – When used with lavender the amount of crayfish claws has always to be the same as the lavender," Snapdragon repeated the exact wording Severus had used earlier.

"Exactly!" Severus beamed at his little daughter. Was it possible? Had she inherited his talent for the fine art of potion making? "What are you waiting for? Start brewing," he spat at the class. "Do you want to try making the potion, dear?"

"May I?" the little girl beamed as if Christmas had come early and clapped her hand.

"Of course." The potions master had to use all his willpower not to grin like a fool. "I´ll get your ingredients."

When he returned to Snapdragon´s table two minutes later with the ingredients, a fire was burning merrily under the cauldron he had given her to play with. A wave of protectiveness and ire washed over the potions master.

"Who started a fire under this cauldron," he spat at the class. His voice shook with rage. Who of these imbeciles put his little girl in danger?

"I´m sorry, Daddy," sobbed Snapdragon. "I didn´t know I wasn´t allowed to." She wiped her face with her right palm and waved her left hand at the flames, which went out immediately.

He had to talk with Dumbledore. Somehow, this sentence was becoming Severus´ mantra.

-x-

"Severus, you must be joking! The girl is four!"

"Albus, when did you ever know me to joke? I saw it!"

"You´re trying to make me believe a four year old did wand- and wordless magic? Controlled wand- and wordless magic?"

Severus didn´t grace the question with an answer. If the headmaster hadn´t gotten the message the first ten times he told him, he wasn´t going to the eleventh time."

"Show me how you made the fire, Snapdragon," Albus asked the girl kindly, who sat on the sofa beside her father.

Snapdragon shook her head vigorously and sent her long red hair dangling.

"Why not?" Albus asked gently.

"Daddy was cross with me when I did it."

"Severus," Dumbledore sighed tiredly.

The potions master glared at his mentor. "Snapdragon," he said then, "I give you permission to show Albus how you made the fire, but you are forbidden to make fire when I´m not present."

Snapdragon waved her hand and a small fire sprang to life on Albus´ tea-table. The old wizards watched the flames with fascination. "Put it out, please," he said after a little while. Snapdragon obeyed. "It won´t burn anything?" The headmaster rubbed the spot where the fire had been in awe.

"No," said Snapdragon.

"What else can you do?"

"I can make things come to me and fire," the girl answered honestly.

"Who taught you?"

"Nobody."

"When did you do it the first time?"

"Last winter," Snapdragon hung her head and Severus could tell the memory was painful. "I broke a glass and aunt Petunia sent me to the tool-shed to think about what I had done. It was so cold and I was hungry."

"You didn´t order the fire to start with your hand then?" Severus really wished the old man´d let the child be, but he knew how important this was.

Snapdragon shook her head. "It just was there when I thought I was so cold I couldn´t stand it."

"But you practiced and learned to control it."

The girl nodded. "Daddy," she suddenly said, "I won´t do it ever again if it´s bad. I didn´t know."

"It´s not bad," Severus reassured her, "it´s just very rare for a little girl to do these things. We must decide what to do about it."

"I think," said Albus, "we have not much of a choice. She has to be taught how to control it. If she´s so powerful, I dread to think what she could do unintentionally. We have to teach her for her safety." And for our students´ wasn´t said, but Severus could hear it nevertheless. "You´ll take Snapdragon to Olivander´s this evening. I´ll arrange for him to attend to you after hours."

When the little redhead was told that was a wandmaker, she was all anticipation. She had seen Severus and Albus use theirs and could hardly wait to get one for her own. The potions master had to urge her to eat all through dinner, which was rather embarrassing, but couldn´t be helped. Sentences like "Be good, sweetheart, one more spoon of carrots." weren´t going to further the reputation he had worked on gaining these past three years.

After dinner they returned to their quarters and Severus explained the floo network for the umteenth time. "You don´t need to worry. You may find it a bit uncomfortable the first time, but as long as you hold on to me, you´ll be perfectly safe. Ready?"

Snapdragon nodded.

Severus lifted her and the little girl slid her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. The potions master held her tight with one hand, the other he used to throw the floo powder. The flames turned emerald and he stepped into the hearth. Snapdragon gasped and burried her face in his hair. "Olivander´s wand shop!" Severus cried and then there was the spinning sensation that went along with flooing.

The potions master stepped out of Olivander´s fireplace and set his daughter down. "Are you alright?" he asked, concerned, and started to brush imaginary ashes from Snapdragon´s robes with his left hand, while his right supported the child´s back.

"That was strange," said the girl and looked her robes up and down to see what Severus was brushing at.

"Professor Snape, Miss Snape," stepped forward to shake their hands. "So this is the young lady who needs a wand?" The elderly wizard eyed the child curiously. "Is it true? This girl can do wandless magic? She can barely look onto the table!"

"I´m four!" Snapdragon said sternly. "I´m not a baby!"

"Of course not," said absentmindedly.

"It is this young lady who needs a wand," Severus confirmed before Snapdragon could say more. "The headmaster told you the truth."

The wandmaker´s eyes twinkled with a mixture of curiousity and eagerness. "Well, let´s see what we have." He summoned his measuring tape and it started measuring the girl´s height, arm lenght, head width and so on of his own accord.

After a little while signalled the tape and it lay on the counter. The wizard went to one of the shelves and fetched a box, which he opened in front of the girl. "Here," he said reverently, "try this. Holly, 8 inches, with a core of unicorn hair."

Snapdragon took the wand carefully and looked at Severus questioningly. "What am I supposed to do?" - "You must wave it!" cried and the girl obeyed. Nothing happened. "Not the right choice, I see," the wizard put the wand back into its box and handed the girl another one. "Oak, 9 and a half inches, with dragon heartstring."

It seemed that Snapdragon had tried each wand in the shop, but to no result. "Maybe it´s too early for me to get a wand," she piped and Olivander looked like he wanted to agree.

"Nonsense," snapped the potions master. He was as tired as Olivander. "You can do magic, so there must be a wand for you," he continued in a softer voice in order not to frighten the girl.

"Maybe it hasn´t been made yet," Snapdragon whispered.

"Is it possible?" Severus asked the wandmaker.

"No," the latter answered. "In my shop you´ll find wands of any kind you can think of. I use all magical woods of Britain along with all cores to be found on the islands. Yes, there are different woods and cores in other parts of the world, but a young lady from Britain will need a wand from Britain. Palm wood and sphinx´s hair won´t work as well for an English lady as hazel and unicorn. If she needs a wand it´s somewhere here."

"Snapdragon," Severus said tiredly. "You told me you can call things. Can you try it with your wand?" He looked questioningly at Olivander and the wandmaker nodded his permission.

Snapdragon closed her eyes and then held out her hand. A wand came flying to her from the shop window.

gasped. "This old thing? There are rumours that it was Rowena Ravenclaw´s, but it´s only an exhibit. It has been lying in the window ever since I can remember."

"Is it functioning?" Severus asked.

"To be honest I can´t tell..."

At that very moment Snapdragon caught the wand. Suddenly there was a tingling sound in the air, the wand glowed silver and pink for a moment and white petals rained from the ceiling.

"Obviously," Severus and the wandmaker said in unison.

"Wow!" Snapdragon turned on the spot in the shower of white petals and let them rain on her little face. "Did I do this?"

"You did," said the wandmaker with more than only a trace of awe in his voice. "A powerful little witch, you have here, Professor. Her powers might match those of the boy who lived."

"We don´t know anything about his powers," Severus pointed out.

"No," admitted, "but we can guess. He vanquished Him, he must be very powerful."

Severus wasn´t going to fill the wandmaker in on Lily´s sacrifice. "How much is the wand," he asked instead. He payed the fifteen Galleons the older wizard asked for, pocketed Snapdragon´s wand and took them back home via floo.

-x-

Severus put the wand onto the mantlepiece when they stepped out of the fireplace in his quarters. Snapdragon stretched out her hand and caught it as it came flying to her.

Severus glared at the little girl. "Oh no, young lady," he scolded, "it is well past your bedtime and you will not stay up one minute longer. Give that here." He extended his hand, palm up. Snapdragon pouted but obeyed. "I want to try it out," she whined.

"I know. But it´s late and you have to go to bed or you´ll be tired tomorrow and won´t be able to follow your first lesson." Severus placed the wand in his pocket this time.

"My first lesson?" Snapdragon hopped up and down and clapped her hands. "I´m getting lessons?" Severus smiled. "Of course you´re getting lessons, did you think I was buying you a wand and then put it into a drawer?"

Snapdragon beamed at him. A second later the girl was a blur of red. "Help me with my hair!" she cried from the bathroom. "I want to sleep fast so I can get up early and have my lesson before breakfast!"

Severus snickered and followed his daughter to the bathroom where he helped her to shampoo her hair, spelled it dry and brushed it. The little girl leaned into the gently touch hungryly and Severus felt sad about how little affection she had gotten in her young life. ´As has Harry Potter,´ nagged a little voice in his mind, but he clenched his teeth and continued brushing. Snapdragon purred like a cat by the time he was finished.

Severus woke before the crack of dawn when a little creature with flaming red hair hopped on his bed and cried "Get up! Get up, it´s morning!" in a bell-like voice.

"Snapdragon!" he moaned and tried to turn away from the girl. "It´s still night!" Turning away had been a bad idea for now the little dervish knelt on his back and shook his shoulders with all the strenght she could muster.

"Get uuu-up!"

"Enough!" Severus barked finally. "Go back to bed! Now!"

The weight on his back shifted, but there were no footsteps leaving his bedroom. After a little while Severus heard a sob. He lifted his upper body on his elbows and looked at the figure beside him. Snapdragon hugged her knees as if they were her lifeline, her face was burried in her nightdress on her knees. She tried to stifle her sobs, but her little form shook violently.

"Snapdragon," Severus said more gently, "I´m sorry. I didn´t mean to shout at you."

"I can´t do anything right," came a tiny voice from under the curtain of red hair. "Aunt Petunia was right. I´m an annoyance."

"She was not!" cried the potions master. "You´re a wonderful little girl."

The red hair dangled as the girl shook her head. "I angered you twice since I came here. You should have left me there."

"You didn´t anger me," said Severus. "I was in a bad mood. The first time because I feared for your safety and now because I´m tired. I´m sorry. I´m not used to having an energetic young lady in my quarters. You´ll have to be patient with an old man."

Snapdragon giggled and then beamed at Severus. "I will," she promised.

Severus grinned back at the girl. "So what do you think, daughter? You snuggle up to me and we sleep for lets say another hour. Then I´ll be in a better mood and you´ll be well-rested enough for your first lesson. After breakfast, of course." He lifted his duvet invitingly. Snapdragon slid into the proffered warmth and soon father and daughter were asleep.

-x-

"Before we start," Severus said earnestly, "we have to set out some rules. Firstly, you´re not going to use your wand other than while I´m with you. Secondly, you will practice when I´m here to watch and help and thirdly, I will keep your wand and you will not take it without permission. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" Snapdragon did a wonderful imitation of the students she had seen in the potions classroom. "I´m not to touch or use the wand unless you say so."

"Good." Severus was pleased. This was going to be a mere child´s play. "First, this is how to hold a wand." He demonstrated. Snapdragon watched with great earnest and then imitated him down to the way he stood. "I was refering to the hand position. You can stand like always."

Snapdragon relaxed.

"To do magic with a wand, you have to know the incantation and the wand movement. Combined they are a spell and will achieve various things for you." He pointed his wand at the vase on the mantlepiece. "Wingardium leviosa."

The vase was levitated and hovered over its former place.

"Vingidum levosi," said Snapdragon and pointed her wand at the pot of floo powder. Nothing should have happened with this incantation, but the pot rushed up in the air and exploded when it hit the ceiling. The flames in the fireplace turned green as some of the floo powder rained into them.

Perhaps this wasn´t going to be as easy as anticipated. "Albus!" Severus didn´t bother to go over to the floo.

A moment later Albus stepped through to see why his potions master sounded so panicky.

-x-

"Snapdragon, my dear," said Albus after listening to Severus, "did you ever before lift anything?"

"No," the girl shook her head violently and her red hair flew like a cloud around her.

"Give me your wand, dear," the headmaster held out his hand. The girl obeyed, but looked at the wand longingly. "Now, can you please try to lift this cup?" He pointed at Severus´ tea cup, which was standing on the coffee table.

Snapdragon concentrated hard, she even waved her hand at the cup like she had done with the fire, but the cup stood unmoving. "I can´t," the girl pointed out the obvious. Albus handed her the wand. "Try again, dear."

"Vingidum levosi!" The cup smashed into the ceiling. Albus started at the sound of it, but recovered quickly and repaired the the cup with a wave of his own wand. "Without words now," he ordered.

Snapdragon pointed her wand at the cup, which rose in silence and smashed again.

"Interesting," said Albus.

"That´s an understatement," said Severus. "We´re talking about nonverbal spells at the age of four."

"I´m not talking about nonverbal magic," said Albus. "I´m talking about the way Snapdragon uses her wand. She needs it, but she doesn´t swish and flick. She simply points."

Severus hadn´t noticed that, but on second thought, the girl had never swished and flicked. The potions master had not much time to wonder though. "Snapdragon, repair the cup," said the headmaster.

The girl pointed her wand at the broken pieces and they zoomed to the table to reform a cup.

"Well done!" praised Albus, "That´s enough for one lesson, I guess." He looked at Severus meaningfully and the latter extended his hand for Snapdragon´s wand. The girl obeyed and handed it over. "I´d like to consult Filius," said Albus. The potions master nodded. The headmaster got up. "I´ll see you later, young lady," he winked at Snapdragon.

Severus put the child´s wand into the drawer of his bedside table. After he had seen what the four-year-old was able to do with the thing, he felt a bit nervous about it.

When he returned to the living room, he found Snapdragon hiding behind his favourite armchair. She was looking out of her hiding place at a big barn owl, which was sitting on the backrest of the sofa and glaring at the girl indignantly.

"Be careful, Dad!" piped the girl from behind the armchair, as Severus walked to the waiting bird.

First the potions master found the girl´s behaviour strange, but then he remembered that Snapdragon hadn´t seen a post owl before. "Come here, it´s alright," he said patiently. The girl left her hiding place only reluctantly, but finally she stood beside him. "This," he explained, "is a post owl. They bring letters and smaller parcels to wizards. This is a Flourish and Blott´s delivery owl. They use only the best trained and strongest owls available." The bird ruffled its feathers importantly.

Snapdragon stepped nearer to see the owl better. "It has a parcel," she pointed out.

"Indeed." Severus went to the breakfast table and fetched a spare piece of bacon. "When you receive a letter or parcel," he went on in lecture mode, "this is what you do. You untie your post from the owl´s leg." He showed how. "Then you tell the owl if you want it to wait for an answer. – There won´t be an answer, thank you. – And then you give it a treat. Do you want to do it?"

The girl nodded shyly and he handed her the bacon. Snapdragon stretched her arm to offer the bacon to the owl. The bird took the treat carefully and then took off through the owl window. "It´s a magical window, only owls can get through," explained Severus. "They´re used in quarters without real windows or when you don't want to keep a window open all the time."

Snapdragon nodded understandingly.

"Well," Severus smiled, "who wants to help me open my parcel?" He sat on the sofa and the little girl climbed up beside him. Severus undid the seals with his wand and then helped Snapdragon to unwrap the books he had ordered.

"These are not potions books," Snapdragon pointed out.

"They´re not."

"They look interesting."

"I was hoping you were going to say that."

"May I look at them?"

"Of course," Severus smiled. "I ordered these picture books for you, so you won´t be bored in class."

"Thank you, Daddy!" The girl wrapped her arms around Severus as far as they would go.

"Speaking of class. We have to go or we´ll be late. You remember the rules?"

Snapdragon nodded. "Don´t disturb the students, be quiet, don´t make fire."

"Exactly. Will you be able to do that for me? It´s only for today, there are no lessons on the weekend and then we´ll have time to figure out what to do with you while I have to teach."

"I don´t mind going to class."

"You´ll be bored soon enough." Severus extended a hand and they walked to his classroom hand in hand.

They were early, as Severus had to prepare the ingredients the students were going to need, and Snapdragon followed him from the store-room to the table where he spread out the herbs to and fro. She asked about each herb he took from the shelves, what they were called, what they were used for, how they were stored and where they came from.

"May I go with you to collect herbs in the forest? I haven´t ever seen one." Snapdragon´s cheeks were red with anticipation.

"Perhaps," Severus said carefully. "The forest isn´t a good place for little girls to be at. It´s quite dangerous."

"I´m not afraid," said Snapdragon.

The potions master hesitated in his search for a jar of owl feathers. "Snapdragon," he said then solemnly and knelt in front of the little girl, "being not afraid is a foolish thing. It will make you careless. You have to be cautious when you move on dangerous grounds. Gryffindors tend to die young."

"What´s a Gryffindor?"

"A Gryffindor is a person who is very brave."

"Are you one? You are very brave."

"How can you know that? And no, I´m not."

"You saved me from that evil man. That was very brave. You should be a Gryffindor."

"Don´t offend me! I´m a Slytherin and proud of it." The potions master scrambled to his feet and continued his rummaging in the store cupboard.

"What´s a Slytherin?"

"A Slytherin is a person who is very sly."

"What means sly?"

"Clever."

Snapdragon nodded. "What is in this jar?"

"Owl feathers." Glad about the change of topic, the potions master began a lecture on the uses of owl feathers.

When the students started to file into the classroom, he shooed Snapdragon in a quiet corner of the classroom where she sat down to look at her picture books.

The potions master glanced at the spot where his daughter leafed through her books occasionally to make sure she was well. As the lesson proceeded and the students started their practical assignment, he left the child unwatched for longer and longer periods of time until he forgot that the little girl was there at all.

Severus swept from work table to work table and examined the students´ potions. "I said a touch of yellow, Mr. Avery, not canary soup," he spat at one of his Slytherins as he lifted a spoonful of his concoction to sniff at it. "Merlin! It smells like canary soup! Did you bring your deceased pet to get rid of it?" Avery glared at the potions master defiantly, but Severus knew him well enough to tell that he was close to tears. The boy had caused problems from day one on. He had lost more house points in other classes than the rest of his peers together. Sometimes Severus wondered whether the hat had put the boy into his house to torture him.

"Can you use canaries in potions?" Snapdragon´s clear voice asked and several students snickered.

"Oh yes," Severus said sweetly and stalked over to where the girl sat until he towered over her. "You can use them for a draught to shut up little pests who disturb their fathers while they are teaching."

The students gasped, but Snapdragon smiled up at the potions master brilliantly. "Really? How is it made?"

"Well," Severus lifted the girl up and held her close. "First you . . ." he whispered to the little redhead. Snapdragon giggled. "And then . . . " Another whisper was followed by another giggle. He sat the girl back down and resumed his wandering.

"Daddy," came another interruption barely five minutes later. "I need to go to the loo."

"But you were before class," Severus said irritatedly.

"But I need!"

The potions master looked at the girl helplessly. He couldn´t leave the classroom while the students were brewing.

"Please, Sir," said Miss Hayworth, a plump, friendly Hufflepuff, "I can take the little one to the loo, if you allow Daphne to stir my potion."

"Thank you, Miss Hayworth," Severus said with relief, "but I can´t burden Miss Broommaker with your potion. I will keep an eye on it. – Snapdragon, go with Miss Hayworth and be a good girl."

The potions master stirred the cauldron from time to time, between the stirs he examined the other students´ work. Most of the time, though, he looked at the door nervously. Was Snapdragon safe with the Hufflepuff? Was she good? The Hufflepuff had no idea what Snapdragon was capable of – to be honest neither had Severus, but at least he was a fully trained wizard and not a third-year.

The two girls returned after five minutes. Miss Hayworth led Snapdragon back to her books before she resumed her work. Severus looked at her questioningly and the Hufflepuff beamed at him. "A sweet little girl you have here, professor," she smiled.

The potions master acknowledged the praise with a barely visible nod. He found himself lingering around the little redhead at the front corner of the class and for the first time in years he wished the class to be over soon not because he did NOT want to teach but because he WANTED to have time for Snapdragon. And for the first time in years he dismissed his students without assigning them a month´s worth of homework. He had to do something or he was going to lose his grip.


	5. A Different View

**A different view**

"Severus," Filius Flitwick greeted the potions master with a mixture of polite curiousity and mistrust. They had been colleagues for more than three years, but never had Severus invited the small wizard to his quarters. In fact they hadn´t seen much more of each other than their teaching duties made necessary.

"Come in," Severus stepped aside to allow his fellow teacher in. "Albus isn´t here yet, but I´m sure he´ll arrive shortly." He motioned at the sofa invitingly and the small wizard sat down.

"Would you like tea?" Snapdragon asked into the awkward silence that followed. She hopped from the armchair she had sat in with her teddy bear. Despite the toys Severus had ordered for her – another owl had arrived during lunch break – she prefered the teddy he had transfigured for her the first evening. Severus was painfully aware that this was probably because it looked like the bear his other self – her real father – had given to her before he died.

Flitwick looked at Severus questioningly.

"My daughter reminds me of how bad a host I am," the potions master said. "My only apology is that I don´t entertain guests frequently. Would you like tea?"

"Yes please," the charms teacher smiled.

Severus stepped to Snapdragon, who was waiting at the sideboard where he kept the tea set. He prepared tea and then handed the girl a cup and saucer to carry to Flitwick.

Snapdragon raised the cup towards the tea pot.

"Oh no, young lady," Severus scolded. "It will be I who carries the pot and we´ll add the tea to the cup when our guest can tell us how much he wants."

Snapdragon carried the empty cup to Flitwick obediently and Severus filled the cup when it was held by the other teacher. Snapdragon returned to the sideboard and fetched empty cups for Severus and herself and one more. "For Albus," she said as she put the last cup onto the coffee table.

Severus filled two more cups and transfigured Snapdragon´s tea into cocoa. The girl sat on the sofa beside him and he handed her her cup.

Albus arrived before the silence could grow awkward again and accepted a cup with a benign smile.

"So, what do you need my help with?" asked the Charms teacher at last.

"As you know," Albus started carefully, "Severus has acquired a daughter."

Flitwick nodded.

"What is not commonly known – and can´t be known, I count on your discretion – is that Snapdragon comes from another universe, where Severus married Lily Evans. Snapdragon is the Girl-Who-Lived in that other world, but unlike Harry Potter she wasn´t safe at her new home. Severus – OUR Severus – saved her from certain death by pulling her out of her world to ours."

Flitwick stared at the potions master and the little girl with new interest as he listened to the headmaster´s tale.

"Snapdragon," the latter continued, "showed some controlled magic in Severus´ class and we decided she needs to learn more control. We´d like to have your opinion on what we found when Severus tried to teach her how to work with a wand."

"You gave a wand to a four year old?"

"It was necessary and you will agree shortly. Snapdragon, show Filius the fire."

The girl looked uncomfortable. "Daddy doesn´t want me to play with fire," she said defiantly.

"You have my permission. But only to show Filius," the potions master reassured her and a moment later a fire was burning merrily between the tea pot and the sugar bowl.

Flitwick gasped. Then he drew his wand and cast some spells on the fire. "Amazing!" he cried. "This is advanced magic! I´m not sure all of my seventh years could do it!"

"I´d have put it into fourth year," said Severus and the headmaster nodded.

"You didn´t recognize it?" Flitwick asked smugly. "A fire that´s warm and doesn´t burn? I´m sure this flame would burn on forever if the girl wouldn´t extinguish it."

"Gubraithian fire?" Albus and Severus gasped both. Albus cast some spells on the flames himself. "You´re right, Filius," he admitted after he had finished his own examinations. "I didn´t realise because the mere thought of a four year old..." he shook his head.

"Tell me what happened when you gave her a wand." Flitwick was now all professional interest.

Severus got up to fetch Snapdragon´s wand. "I hope you didn´t need it any more, but I´m really not allowed to make fire when Daddy´s not with me," he heard Snapdragon say behind him.

"Snapdragon, dear," said Albus when the girl had her wand in hand. "Kindly show Filius how you can raise and repair a cup."

Flitwick raised a brow at the combination of "raise and repair". It disappeared under his fringe when the girl pointed her wand at her cup and the dish rocketed into the air to smash on the ceiling. Another point of the wand mended the cup and put the cocoa back into it. A quick glance at the other two men told him that something had been new to this performance.

Albus bent forward and hesitatantly stopped with his hand above the cup. "May I, Snapdragon?" After a shy nod he took the cup and sampled the liquid. "Ah, hot and delicious, exactly the way I like it," he smiled at the child then.

Severus couldn´t bother less about the cocoa. All he could think about was whether his little girl was dangerous and what could be done about it, if – Merlin forbid – she was.

"Impressing," said the little Charms teacher. "Rare, but not unheard of. There was a case in Wales some fivehundred years ago. I have to read up on the subject. Can I come back tomorrow?"

"Why don´t we all have lunch in my office?" the headmaster offered kindly.

"I think I can finish my research by then," the small wizard got up, "if I start immediately."

Severus followed his colleague to the door to show him out. "Thank you," he said softly, "your help is appreciated very much."

"You´re welcome, Severus," replied Flitwick. "And I´d keep that wand out of her reach if I were you."

-x-

Lunch at Albus´ office was strained. The food was delicious as ever, but Severus couldn´t find the ability to enjoy it. He wanted to hear what Flitwick had to say, but the small wizard smiled at the child pointedly and indulged in his shepherd´s pie. The headmaster pursed his lips for a brief moment, but then smiled at Snapdragon, who tried to cut her roast chicken.

"Let me help," said Severus and pulled the child´s plate towards him. He cut the chicken in slices.

"Thank you," Snapdragon said politely and took a forkful of meat into her little mouth. Her face relaxed as she enjoyed the taste. Severus´ heart missed a beat as he thought about how food hadn´t been a matter of course for the girl. Petunia had fed her, as far as he could tell from what he had seen through the potion mist, but only on leftovers. He had never seen Snapdragon sit with the family and eat the same meal as Petunia´s own son.

After the meal Flitwick presented Snapdragon with an enchanted doll, which performed a little dance. "Why don´t you sit on the rug to give the doll room?" the tiny wizard asked and the girl did as he suggested after glancing at Severus for permission.

The three men waited until the girl was absorbed in her game before they talked.

"Well? What did you find out?"

"I wasn´t precise in my guess yesterday," started the small wizard. "The last case – and we know there were more only from a reference in the text about this one – was in Wales seven centuries ago. It concerned a muggle-born by the name of Evans. Yes, I was surprised, too. The girl – Hippolyte – showed early control of magic. She did it without wand or incantation. The villagers tried to burn her at the age of five after she had set a house on fire for being scolded for taking biscuits without asking. She put out the fire with her magic and tormented the villagers for months. They had to grant her every wish or she´d punish them cruelly. Help came by an elderly wizard, Lenius Goodfellow, who cast a spell on her to bind her magic. From that day on she couldn´t do a spell without him allowing it. The spell wore off after ten years, but by then the girl had learned her responsibilities and she became a well respected witch, the most powerful of her age."

"Bind her magic?" Severus looked at his little daughter with sorrow. "This sounds like a cruel thing to do."

"It may be the only way," said Flitwick. He looked equally sorrowful. "She´s a cute little girl, but have you any idea what she could do when she doesn´t get her way and throws a magical tantrum?"

"I don´t dare to imagine," whispered Severus. He looked at Albus for help.

"Is the spell to bind her magic in your book, Filius?" the headmaster asked. He didn´t sound any more cheerful than Severus felt.

"We can´t bind her magic! She couldn´t attend Hogwarts if we did!" interrupted Severus.

"The spell is in the book and it doesn´t look too complicated." The Charms teacher smiled as he observed Snapdragon play with her doll.

"Severus," said Albus, "making her the target of mistrust is even more cruel. If it becomes known how powerful she is, people will fear her! Think of it. The spell will wear off. She can get her magical education and still be a powerful witch. And Filius said Hippolyte Evans couldn´t do a spell without her guardian´s permission. Her magic was bound, not gone."

"So, who should bind Snapdragon´s magic in your opinion?" Severus asked.

"Why, Severus, you of course!" Albus pointed out. "You are her father! Who else should controll her?"

"I brought you the description of the spell," said Flitwick and produced a piece of parchment from his pocket.

Severus read the parchment carefully and repeatedly. "I think I can do it," he said at last. "Shall I do it now?"

"The earlier the better," said Albus.

Severus took a deep breath and then called his daughter to the table. "Snapdragon," he said kindly, "Albus and I discussed your magic." The little girl listened intently. "It is too strong for a little girl. You needed it in the past to protect yourself, but now I can protect you and therefore we think that you shouldn´t do any magic until you´re old enough."

"But I don´t know how to not do magic," said Snapdragon. "Can you teach me?"

"It´s easier than that, dear," said Severus and pulled the girl onto his lap. "I will cast a spell which will take your magic away for a while. When you´re old enough you´ll get it back."

"You will give it back?" Snapdragon asked earnestly.

"I won´t need to," promised the potions master. "The spell will give it back without me doing anything about it."

"Then you can use your spell. It´s okay when I get it back when I´m a big girl." Snapdragon looked into Severus´ eyes trustfully.

Severus carried the child to the sofa and then took a step back. He pointed his wand at the girl and then cast the spell.

Snapdragon giggled. "It tickles!" she cried happily.

"Can you try to light a fire now?" asked Albus as he stepped beside Severus.

Snapdragon waved her hand, but nothing happened. "It worked," she pointed out happily.

"I could feel she wanted to use her magic," said Severus.

"Interesting," Albus looked at the girl and her father calculatingly. "Snapdragon I want you to try again and Severus, you will think of how you want her to succeed." Both obeyed and an instant later a little fire flickered on the sofa beside the little redhead.

The headmaster seemed quite pleased with the result. "You see, Severus," he said benignly, "bound, not gone."

Severus nodded, a little smile playing around his lips. He had feared, despite of what the older wizards said, that he had taken away the girl´s magic, but he didn´t want to expose his little daughter to mistrust, so he had agreed. Seeing that she still had her powers was a relief.

"Well," said Flitwick and got up from his seat, "this was quite easy."

"Thank you for your help," the potions master inclined his head a fraction.

"You´re very welcome," the small man said and took his leave.

"Well," said Albus as the door closed on the Charms teacher, "our next task will be to determine what to do with Snapdragon when you have classes to teach. She can´t stay at the potions classroom all the time."

"Of course not." Severus agreed fullheartedly. Snapdragon distracted him during lessons. So far nothing had happened, but what if there was an accident because he proctored his daughter instead of the class? The school governors wouldn´t be pleased, the parents would ask for his dismissal and the press would have his head.

Albus watched the little girl play with her doll over the rims of his glasses. "I could take her every Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon," he offered. "That is, if Snapdragon would like to stay with me for a while."

The child beamed up at the old man. "You want me to stay with you?" she cried excitedly. "Oh yes, I´d like that!"

"I´m sure your colleagues would like to help," the headmaster continued.

"Albus," Severus shook his head, "you can´t expect your teachers to give up all of their free lessons for me and Snapdragon, seeing that we don´t need babysitters for a little while but for the next seven years!"

"I´m not a baby!" protested the little girl in question.

"I know," said Severus, "it´s still called a babysitter when you are fifteen."

Snapdragon pouted a little, but was soon absorbed in her game again.

"What do you suggest, Severus?"

"As I said, I need a babysitter. I´ll have to hire one. Seeing that the person has to live at Hogwarts, you will have the final word before I hire anyone."

The headmaster thought about it. "You´re right," he said then. "Snapdragon needs a person to be there for her every day. Not a different teacher every two hours. You have my permission to look for a nanny for your daughter."

They discussed what the nanny to be should be like and the best way to find the best person for Snapdragon. At last they agreed that Albus should put a small ad into the Daily Prophet. The two wizards assumed that fewer inept people would dare to show up for a job offered by the headmaster of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry.


	6. The Nanny

**The Nanny**

Thanks to Albus´ connections, the small ad appeared in the Prophet´s Sunday Issue.

"Thank you, Albus," Severus said for the fifth time at the breakfast table. His carefully folded copy of the paper lay between his plate and the milk jug.

"What is in the newspaper, Daddy?" Snapdragon asked curiously. She tried to reach the fruit bowl, but her arms were too short. Severus moved the bowl a little closer.

"An advertisement." He watched the girl shovel strawberry and banana slices into her muesli.

"An advertisement?" Snapdragon looked bewildered. "Are you looking for special offers? Why aren´t there pictures?"

"What are you talking about?"

"When Aunt Petunia looked at advertisements, there were always pictures of stuff. I liked those of extinct fruit best."

Severus giggled. He tried to hide his bout of merriment behind his tea cup, but it was too late.

"What?" Snapdragon asked sternly.

"Exotic, sweetheart. You mean exotic fruit."

Snapdragon blushed, although Severus was very sure that she had no idea what ´extinct´ meant. He explained.

The little girl nodded earnestly. "So what is in the newspaper?" she then repeated her first question.

"As I said before, an advertisement. I´m looking for a nanny for you."

"What is a nanny?"

"That´s a person who will watch over you while I teach. You won´t have to go to class with me all the time. You can go for walks or play in our quarters. Would you like that?"

"Only if the nanny person is nice."

"I´m sure we´ll find a nice one."

-x-

The first one to answer to the advertisement was no other than Lucius Malfoy. Snapdragon hid behind Severus, clutching his leg so tightly he lost sensation in his toes.

"I demand to know what this is about, headmaster," the blond wizard snarled at Albus. The old wizard, Severus and Snapdragon were just crossing the Entrance Hall towards the dungeons when Lucius entered the castle in a dramatic flourish of robes, clutching his cane, which – Severus knew from various occasions – contained his wand. "Why does Hogwarts offer a post without informing the board of governors?"

"Lucius," the headmaster smiled benignly, but the usual twinkling in his eyes missed. "Hogwarts doesn´t. It is I who does. This is not about an official school position."

"What is it then?"

"I´m not sure that is yours to know."

"Everything going on inside these walls is mine to know as I swore an oath to work for the students´ wellfare. You´re bringing a new person to the castle. I want to know who and why."

"There isn´t a who yet, but as to why." Albus motioned Snapdragon to show herself, but she shook her head and clutched Severus´ leg even closer.

"Come here, child," Severus reached behind himself and lifted Snapdragon to sit on his hip. The little girl glanced at the blond wizard and then burried her face in her father´s robes. "She´s a little shy," the potions master said apologetically.

"Shy?" Lucius sneered.

"Lucius," the headmaster said sweetly. "We were just going to take the child back to Severus´ rooms. So, unless you´re going to apply for the job, you´ll excuse us."

"Wait! Who is this child?"

"My daughter." Severus would have prefered his former fellow deatheater not to know about the little one, but it couldn´t be helped.

"I wasn´t aware you were married." Lucius glared at Severus suspiciously from under half-closed lids.

"I´m not." Severus stroked the shivering girl´s hair gently.

"Adultery!" Malfoy spat.

"Albus, if you please." Severus handed the old wizard the child, who carried her down to their quarters. Severus waited until they had turned around the next corner. "Lucius, I sank as low as to getting involved with a muggle. I was spying for our Lord when I met her. But," he made a pause, "you can´t expect me to go as far as to marry her! It´s enough that I had to take the child to keep Dumbledore happy."

"A muggle?" Lucius sounded disgusted.

"Not all of us were lucky to get a post where they could build their nice little magical family. There´s only so much information you can gather while living at a manor."

The blond looked at Severus deep in thought. Something like understanding dawned on his face. "I see. Your service didn´t allow you to find an acceptable wife. Is the child... a squib?"

"No," Severus smiled. "She only broke my cup yesterday. Without touching it."

"Then congratulations are in order. I guess a little halfblood witch is better than no family at all."

Severus inclined his head. "Our Lord won´t care about her blood status if she´s powerful and animated with his cause."

Lucius clutched his chest with his wand hand. "We eagerly await his return!"

Severus mirrored the gesture. "That we do," he agreed.

-x-

When Severus returned to his quarters he found Albus holding a little girl shaking with violent sobs. He hurried to sit by the side of his old friend and mentor and reached for the girl. Snapdragon looked at him with redrimmed eyes and wailed like a wounded animal. She snuggled closer to Albus and buried her face in his gaudy magenty robes.

"Calm down, my child," the old man said gently and stroked the girl´s hair soothingly. "I´m so sorry, Severus. This is entirely my fault."

"What happened?" Severus felt his heart grow cold with fear.

"I halted behind that corner to hear whether you needed help with Lucius."

"Oh dear!" Severus looked at the still shaking child helplessly. "Snapdragon, sweetheart. Listen to me."

"You´re his friend!" sobbed the little girl. She glared at Severus angrily from under a vail of curly red hair.

"Listen to me," Severus begged. He experienced a strange feeling and it took him a moment to recognize it. "Snapdragon!" he said sternly. "Under no circumstances will you try to use your magic against me or anybody else!"

"You´re his friend!" repeated the girl reproachfully, but she didn´t reach for her magic again.

"I am not. I´ll explain, but you have to listen."

The girl wiped her face with her palms. Albus offered her a violently orange handkerchief and helped her blow her nose when she accepted it.

"Ready?" Severus asked gently.

Snapdragon nodded, her face full of mistrust.

"You remember your old home? On the other side of the mist?" Severus waited for an answer patiently.

Snapdragon nodded weakly.

"You remember that a man who looked exactly like me was your father there?"

Another nod.

"The man you just saw looks like the one who killed your aunt, but it isn´t him. They only look alike. It is important that this man thinks that I´m his friend."

"You are not?"

"No, but that´s a secret. You mustn´t ever speak about it."

"I won´t." Snapdragon scrambled from Albus´ lap to Severus´ and hugged him tightly.

"That´s my girl," Severus returned the hug and buried his nose in the child´s rose-scented hair.

"Let´s go to my office," suggested Albus. "Applicants to the nanny post will report there."

Waiting at Albus office with Snapdragon was pure pleasure. Severus transfigured some toys for the little girl, mainly dolls, but also a teddy bear, teacups, a teapot and a tiny sugar bowl. They had tea together. Snapdragon played the beautiful blonde doll who was the host. Albus was a blackhaired doll and the little girl insisted he changed his voice, which he did with a simple spell. Severus was the teddy bear and – of course – had to change his voice, too.

Snapdragon kept pouring tea and the dolls and bear had a nice chat about doll dresses and whether the bear´s fur was too warm for a castle. The two wizards enjoyed themselves immensely.

They had just started a chorus of "BINGO" when there was a knock at the door and the caretaker ushered a woman in.

"My name is Hybris Watson," the woman greeted the headmaster and Severus. "I´m here to apply for the post as a nanny. I take it this is the child in question."

"Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Watson," said Albus in the highpitched doll´s voice. "Sorry." He smiled and pointed his wand at his throat.

The witch pursed her lips until they were barely visible.

Severus felt Snapdragon wiggle closer to him. He took her hand reassuringly and looked at her questioningly. The girl looked at the witch fearfully and shook her head a bit.

"May I ask for your references, Miss Watson?" Albus asked politely and took the folder he was offered. "I see you worked for the Parkinsons?"

"Yes," the witch replied curtly. "For more than seven years. Their youngest, Pansy, celebrated her fourth birthday recently and Mrs. Parkinson is confident that she will not require help any more."

Severus squeezed Snapdragon´s hand before he got up. "I´m afraid I must refuse your application," he said as politely as he could. He was certainly not going to leave his daughter in the company of a former Parkinson employee. Emmenrik Parkinson had never taken the mark, but he was a little too close to Lucius Malfoy for Severus´ liking.

Miss Watson huffed and snatched her folder from Albus before she left the office without a word of good-bye.

"Was this a nanny-woman?" Snapdragon asked as soon as the door had closed on Miss Watson. "I don´t think I want one."

"You will see, there will be a nice one for you. We don´t have to take the first one to come." Severus said reassuringly. They didn´t take the second one either (her eyes were cold as ice, even Severus was a bit scared) or the third ("Discipline, that´s what children need. You´ll be pleased to hear I bring my private cane.") or the fourth (she wanted two free days a week in addition to the weekend) or the fifth (nice, but got a giggling fit when Severus mentioned what he wanted to pay).

The potions master felt he had to accept their search was in vain. What was he going to do? If he managed to start some sort of potions business and spent very modestly, his savings might allow him to give up teaching, but this would mean to lose the protection Hogwarts provided. He was startled out of his thoughts by a knock at the door.

Filch ushered another lady inside, but this one was so much different from the others that it was hard to believe they were the same species. The new arrival was about Severus´ own age and small. She had long curly blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes. She wore muggle clothes – a short skirt and a blouse in a light blue – and long witch´s robes open like a coat in a flowery design similar to the robes Snapdragon was wearing.

"Oh, am I disturbing a tea party?" the woman said merrily.

Before Severus or the headmaster could join the conversation, Snapdragon smiled brightly. "Not at all," she said, "why don´t you sit down and have a cup with us?"

"I should be delighted!" answered the witch and chose a redhaired doll from the heap of toys on the floor. She seated the doll between the teddy bear and Albus´ blackhaired doll. "Hello, I´m Iris Labelle."

"Hello, Iris," said Snapdragon´s doll. "I´m Snapdragon."

"Oh, what a wonderful name! Snapdragons are my favourite flowers!"

"Really? I didn´t know that Snapdragons are flowers. What do they look like?"

The blonde witch drew her wand and pointed it at the tiny teacup Snapdragon had placed in front of her doll. A fragile stem of snapdragons appeared.

"Oh, they´re beautiful!" cried the child. "Don´t you think so, Daddy?"

"I´m sure your daddy knows how beautiful they are or he wouldn´t have named you so," the witch smiled.

"They´re as beautiful as you, daughter," said Severus solemnly. The child beamed at him.

"Can I have a vase, Albus?" asked the girl and the headmaster got up to retrieve one. Snapdragon followed suite with her flowers.

"Would you like to see my references?" Miss Labelle said meanwhile and handed Severus a folder. "I´m afraid I´m not very experienced." Indeed there was only one reference and a Beauxbatons report in the folder.

"Your marks at school were quite impressive, Miss Labelle," said Severus. "You worked as a nanny for three months in Paris?"

"Yes," the witch nodded. "For the de Bergeracs, they have two daughters, Aimee and Claudette. Mrs. de Bergerac normally doesn´t employ a nanny, but they were moving and needed some help."

"I can´t pay you more than 20 Galleons per months," Severus said almost shyly. He´d like the young woman as Snapdragon´s nanny, but after that other witch had burst into giggles when he mentioned the sum he could afford, he was quite sure she was going to refuse. "Of course lodging and board is free. I´d need your services whenever I´m teaching or on school duties. I have to guard the corridors one night a week."

"That sounds fair," said the blonde, much to Severus´ surprise.

"Did you hire Iris?" asked Snapdragon. Albus helped her place the vase on the coffee table.

"It seems so," smiled Severus and Miss Labelle nodded kindly.

"Wonderful," cried Albus. "Why don´t the three of you go for a little walk? You could get to know each other better." His eyes twinkled like mad and Severus couldn´t help a feeling of doom.

-x-

"Tell me, Miss Labelle," Severus asked when they had reached the lakeside and Snapdragon was busy feeding old scones to the giant squid, "why does a witch of your academic education – your final report was impressive – agree to play babysitter for what hardly qualifies as salary but is rather pocket money?"

"To be honest," said the blonde, "I´d have taken any position offered at Hogwarts. I intend to work in the area of potioneering and as Hogwarts is said to have an exceptional potions master, I wished to work here. I´d like to do some post-graduate research. Maybe you could help me with the professor?"

Severus glared at the witch suspiciously. Was she having him on? But then, his name had not been mentioned at Albus´ office. "What do you know about our potions master?" he asked hoarsely.

"Well, I heard that Hogwarts´ NEWT results in potions improved impressively since a new teacher was hired some years ago. I met a young potioneer from Britain in Paris last summer. Monsieur de Bergerac was singing his praise all day long. When the young man in question was invited to dinner I learned that he hadn´t had any training after leaving Hogwarts."

"Who was that young man?" Severus asked curiously. He had tought some quite gifted students over the last few years. Which of them had left the country for France?

"Arthur Clearwater."

"Ah, Mr. Clearwater was indeed one of my best students. Very talented and eager to learn." Severus blushed when he realized he had just blurted out being the resident potions master.

Iris – Miss Labelle – blushed, too, and Severus had to admit that it was most becoming on her face. "You?" she asked after a short moment of hesitation. "It can´t be! It takes the experience of a lifetime to . . ." She became silent.

Severus bit his lip and turned away for her not the see his face. He pretended to watch Snapdragon feed the squid. "Be careful, Sweetheart," he cried. Snapdragon waved and answered "Yes, Daddy!" before she turned back to the squid. The giant cephalopod bobbed up and down near the shore and took pieces of food out of the child´s hand when they were offered.

"Sorry, I didn´t mean..."

"You have nothing to apologize for," reassured Severus. "I am the youngest potions master in Britain and you had no reason to assume that Hogwarts´ potion teacher was anything but an old man sharing his learnings at the end of his life." How could she? How was she supposed to guess how he had acquired his expertise. Who could guess how Voldemort had forced an outstanding young talent to become the best potions master in Britain in record time? Who could guess the pain he had suffered when he wasn´t expertly enough for the Dark Lord to be content? Who could guess the tortures which had made him long for death, but didn´t demage his body enough to not be able to continue brewing? Who could guess that there was a time when he had despised his talent for it earned him only pain?

"So, please, would you teach me, Professor?" The young witch asked, oblivious of Severus´ inner turmoil.

"In the evenings, when Snapdragon sleeps and I have finished my grading. I may not have time every day."

"I didn´t dare hope for more than one lesson per week!" Miss Labelle cried happily. "Thank you, Sir!"

"You´re welcome. It´s the least I can do, as I can´t afford to pay you much!"

"Let´s count the lessons a part of my salary and you´ll pay me princely! A chance to study under an exceptional potions master isn´t something that comes every day!"

"Then we´ll both be happy with our deal. A nanny who will work for the little gold I can give doesn´t come every day either."

Their negotiations ended just at the right moment. Snapdragon´s scone bag was empty and the giant squid slid under the surface lazily.

"That was fun!" stated the four year old, "but I feel a bit frozen now."

"No wonder!" cried the new nanny. "Look at you! You´re all wet!" She drew her wand and muttered a quick drying charm. "Now, that´s better, isn´t it?" The little girl nodded.

"Daddy, I´m tired," she complained about halfway up to the castle.

"Are you?" asked Severus. "So, what can we do about that?"

"Carry me?" whined Snapdragon.

"Carry you?" protested Severus holding his arms open invitingly. "You are heavy!" Snapdragon wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her and burried her face in her father´s robes. "Will be even heavier next week. Better enjoy what you have." She mumbled. By the time they reached the castle, she was fast asleep.

Severus showed Miss Labelle down to their dungeon quarters and to Snapdragon´s room. The blonde witch helped him tuck the little girl in.

"That´s a very cosy room," said the nanny as they returned to the living room. "The colours are so cute. And I like that painting of a unicorn playing in a meadow. Who made it? You, Sir?"

Severus snorted. "The headmaster. And it´s not a painting. It´s a magical window." He stepped to the small cabinet where he kept a bottle of wine and several of stronger liquors. He rose a wine glass questioningly. The nanny nodded and he opened the bottle. He motioned her to sit on the sofa and handed her a glass of red wine before he sat in an armchair himself.

"The headmaster decorated your nursery?" the witch asked curiously. There was a trace of disbelief in her voice. On second thought it sounded unbelievable.

"My daughter entered my life at rather short notice," Severus felt compelled to explain. "Albus – the headmaster – is her godfather." Well, the Albus in the other universe was. Severus wondered whether that made this Albus her godfather, too. Undoubtedly the old wizard felt he was, but was he, technically? He had to remember to ask.

"Oh, what a lucky little girl!" the nanny sipped her wine. "Her father is the best potions master in Britain and her godfather the most powerful wizard alive."

Severus had no idea what to say in answer to the praise, so he took a sip of wine and pretended to find the glass very interesting.

"Excuse me," the witch broke the silence after a while, "I hate to bring up the topic, but where are my quarters? You mentioned free lodging."

"Oh, yes, I´m sorry," Severus jumped to his feet and put his wine glass on the coffee table. "Please come. As your position is no official Hogwarts one," he explained, "the castle won´t provide you with own quarters. As my employee you have to share mine. Here." He opened a door which hadn´t been there several hours before. The castle had adjusted to his needs of more rooms of its own volition. Behind the door was a medium sized room with a sitting area, a big cupboard and a bed. Severus felt his face grow warm when he looked at it. This, he realised, was the first time he stood in a lady´s bedroom. "Knowing the castle, I assume that that door over there leads to your private bathroom." He didn´t go and open the door as it would seem like an intrusion.

"What a beautiful room!" cried the witch. She stepped to the magical window and admired the scene. "Oh, look!" She gestured at Severus to join her at the window.

The potions master stepped closer hesitantly, all the while avoiding to look at the bed. Why was he so nervous? It was a bed! He had seen other beds before.

The scene behind the window was breathtaking. There was a meadow like in Snapdragon´s room, but instead of a unicorn there was a herd of deer grazing peacefully.

"Beautiful," Severus said hoarsely.

The blonde witch nodded and her curls bobbed up and down.

"I´ll leave you to unpack your things," continued the potions master assuming that the woman had her shrunken possessions in her pocket.

"Thank you," smiled the latter.

"I´ll call you when Snapdragon wakes. We can go to dinner together."

-x-

Snapdragon insisted in not only holding Severus´ hand like always when they walked to the Great Hall, but also Miss Labelle´s (Iris, for Snapdragon). Severus felt a bit awkward, though he didn´t know why. He was only holding his daughter´s hand, a thing which he had done on many occasions since she had entered his life. Why made her other hand resting in the nanny´s so much difference?

The chattering in the Great Hall died down when they entered and the three made their way to the head table in complete silence.

"Ah, professor Snape," cried Dumbledore, "and Snapdragon. And last but not least, Miss Labelle! Snapdragon, my dear, did you already get used to your new nanny?" Severus admired how the headmaster informed the students about the new arrival without actually making a speech.

"No, Albus," the child answered in her clear voice, "I went for a nap and Daddy meanwhile showed Iris where she sleeps."

The silence that followed was nearly palpable. Somebody at the Gryffindor table snorted.

Severus looked at Miss Labelle apologetically. His face burned with embarrassment (as did the blonde´s) and he busied himself with helping Snapdragon onto her chair. He sat down at his usual place and the nanny took the seat on Snapdragon´s other side.

Miss Labelle reached for the girl´s plate when the little one had difficulties cutting her meat, but Severus was faster. "I will take care of that," he said softly. "I need your help when I´m teaching, but now I´m not." He cut Snapdragon´s roast chicken in edible pieces and chopped her potatoes into smaller pieces as well. "Here, sweetheart." He pushed the plate back in front of the girl.

"Thank you, Daddy," Snapdragon said politely.

Little by little the usual clattering of cuttlery and chattering of students set in, but the potions master couldn´t help a feeling of sitting on a plater.


	7. Rumours and Secrets

**Rumours and Secrets**

Severus and Snapdragon settled into life with their new housemate rather quickly. The little girl spent most of the day with Iris. They went to the library to look at interesting pictures – Snapdragon liked magical beasts – or on walks to the lake. They went to the kitchens where Iris showed the little girl how to make biscuits (Severus had to eat a whole plate in the evening and felt sick all night) or they had a look at greenhouse one, where the harmless plants were kept.

Severus spent as much time with Snapdragon as he could get. He joined her and Iris in his free periods and left all his marking and lesson preparations for the evening, when his daughter was asleep.

Twice a week he tutored Miss Labelle in potions. He still felt bad about paying her so little and therefore resolved on giving her regular lessons. The blonde turned out to be quite capable when it came to potions. She would have excelled in any of Severus´ NEWT classes.

He put a monitoring spell on Snapdragon when they went to his lab to brew.

"The recipe says slice," said Miss Labelle, "why are you crushing the giant bean?"

"The slices are not intended to stay in the potion. It´s more about the juice of the bean," Severus explained. "When you crush it, you get the juice quicker and the brewing will be faster. The method can´t be used in all potions. When the bean is added at the same time as an other ingredient you have to be careful what the change in handling the bean will do to the efficacy of the other ingredient."

"I see," said the blonde, "here we use only the bean and therefore can speed things up."

"Exactly, Miss Labelle."

"It´s Iris," said the witch absentmindedly while she worked on the giant bean with a silver dagger.

Severus felt himself blush.

"Oh, sorry, professor," cried the blonde, "I didn´t mean to... I mean... I..." she stuttered.

"I´d be honoured to call you Iris," Severus said, blushing even more. "But only if you call me Severus."

"I... You are my boss." Iris looked up from under her long lashes. "And you are a professor at this school. Do you think it´s wise for me to call you by your given name?"

"It makes no difference," Severus asked himself whether his head was going to explode when all his blood had gone to his facial skin. "Seeing that the student body already gossips about me ravishing you the first day."

"Do they? I heard I seduced you the first evening." Iris blushed and Severus thought how funny they must look at that very moment. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "After you added the crushed bean, you have to stir counter-clockwise and pause after every ten stirs."

Iris blinked and within a short moment the blushing young woman became an earnest potions apprentice. "For how long?"

"Until the smoke turns a light blue. It will take about twenty minutes. Don´t stop stiring."

They finished their healing draught as quickly as possible and then returned to their quarters. Severus ushered Iris inside wordlessly. From the corner of his eye he saw a shadow move nearby. Just great. That was what they needed. A student seeing how Severus entered his quarters in Iris´ company. The potions master couldn´t tell why the thought disturbed him, seeing that it was common knowledge where the nanny resided, but it did.

"Good night, Iris," he said softly when the blonde closed her door behind herself.

"Good night, Severus."

Then the door was closed.

-x-

Life was embarrassing, but pleasant. Although he found himself blushing like a school girl at least twice every day, Severus had to admit that he had never before been so happy in his entire life.

The image of a stern task-master that he had built over the past few years – it had been necessary as he was a bit young for a teacher – crumbled like one of Snapdragon´s sandcakes under the onslaught of the little redhead and her nanny. It started small with the two girls – Severus actually caught himself thinking of them like that – insisting to sing a song on their way to the lakeside, not caring what singing a children´s song in public might do to his reputation. Then Snapdragon hugged him in front of his Slytherin fourth years, informing him that "she had missed him sooooo much" and he hugged her back for all he was worth. He knew he shouldn´t have cared for the students watching him hug his little daughter, for most people it would have been the most normal thing in the world to do, but not for Severus, former deatheater, who had tried to hide away the fact that he possessed a heart for most of his life.

The coup de grace to his reputation was a joke Iris made at the head table. Severus joined Snapdragon´s laughter without second thought. The hall fell silent. Severus giggles echoed like thunder in the sudden silence. And then Iris joined in and shortly after her Albus and soon after that, the whole population of Hogwarts was shaking with laughter.

-x-

"Really, Severus," said Albus and sipped his tea. He had invited his potions master to his office for the free period and they had discussed the book-list Severus had given to Mme. Pince a week earlier. The librarian had nearly suffered a heart attack when the potions master wanted two thirds of her annual budget spent for potions texts. "I think that you should do something about Iris."

"Iris?" the potions master echoed.

"Well, even you must have noticed the way she looks at you. I, myself, have indeed noticed how you look at her when you think noone watches you. Snapdragon adores her, so what are you waiting for, my boy?"

Severus blushed. It was embarrassing to discuss his non-existant love life with his superior, even when he considered Albus a friend. "It would be most unappropriate."

"Unappropriate? Pray tell why!"

"She´s barely older than my students!"

"You are barely older than your students! Really, Severus, this is a lame excuse."

Severus bit his lip and refused to look at Albus.

"Severus, you´re not still mourning Lily, are you? I know, my boy, how much you loved her, but she chose James Potter over you. And she´s dead in more than one universe. You´re raising her daughter and you vowed to help her son, nobody can ask more of you. Why don´t you permit yourself a bit of happiness? Lily wouldn´t mind, nor would Snapdragon."

"Even if I were willing to ´permit myself a bit of happiness´ as you put it," Severus sighed. "I wouldn´t even know how to start. I never cared about women. What if I make a fool out of myself?"

"You won´t, trust me."

"How could she possibly want me...a deatheater. And look at me. My hair, my face. I know what I look like, Albus. Contrary to common belief, I do possess a mirror."

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Severus. Never forget that." Albus smiled kindly.

Severus sighed. "I´d better go downstairs or I´ll be late for my next lesson."

-x-

The potions master watched his nanny apprentice from the corner of his eye as she skinned shrivelfigs for the burn oinment they were making. Her long hair was tied back with a ribbon of red silk. Her cheeks were rosy and her lips pursed in concentration.

"Are you ready?" Severus asked.

Iris started and yelped. She dropped the dagger and the shrivelfig she had been holding. Severus was by her side with three long strides. "Show me that," he ordered.

"It´s nothing," said the blonde, "I started, that´s all."

"Nonsense," Severus was all potions master. "If you have the tiniest wound we risk to spoil the brew with a drop of your blood. Your hand." He extended his own demandingly.

Iris obeyed and placed her small hand in Severus´. There was a cut on her index finger. Severus drew his wand and muttered a healing charm. Fascinated, he watched the wound close. Within a minute Iris´ hand was immaculate as ever. Severus looked his fill of her small fingers. What was it like to feel those fingers touch him other than by chance?

Iris cleared her throat.

"Sorry!" Severus withdrew his hand hastily.

"Sorry? For what?" Iris looked at him with those huge blue eyes from under her lashes. Her hand hung in the air where Severus had left it.

"For this," Severus didn´t take his eyes off the girl´s while he reached for those delicate fingers and pressed them to his lips. Part of him expected Iris to turn away in disgust, but she didn´t. Her eyes twinkled like Albus´ at Christmas (´What a sick person are you to think of a hundred and forty year old man in this situation?´ Severus asked himself) when she stepped a little closer. Iris withdrew her hand, but only to cup his cheek with it. She stood on tiptoe and leaned in a bit. Severus helped her close the distance.

It was only a short kiss, barely more than a peck, but it was the sweetest thing Severus had ever tasted. He looked into Iris´ eyes, searching for a trace of doubt or regret, but there was none. Instead she smiled happily and moved in for another kiss.

Who was Severus to deny her?

-x-

They kept the new development in their relationship secret, of course. Severus felt he needed some time to feel comfortable and Iris didn´t seem to want to rush things either.

His newfound proximity to Iris was his first relationship with a woman. At least with one who wanted him. He had – of course – loved Lily, but the Lily of this universe had never seen more than a childhood friend in him. When he had been a teenager, he had dreamed how it might be to start a relationship with the girl he loved, but what he had with Iris was like nothing he ever imagined.

It was sweet and tender, it was hours on the living room sofa after Snapdragon had fallen asleep. It was shared glasses of wine, embraces and holding each other. Nobody would ever have guessed, not even the potions master himself.

Severus Snape was a cuddler.

-x-

"Daddy?"

Severus stopped short at the sound of Snapdragon´s voice. Iris freed her lower lip from between his and hid her face in his robes for the briefest of moments before she untangled herself from his arms and pushed him gently away to answer his daughter´s call.

"Yes, dear?" Severus turned to look over the backrest of the sofa and straightened his robes.

"May I have a glass of water? I´m thirsty."

"Of course, Sweetheart. I´m coming." He got up with as much dignity as he could muster. He silently thanked whatever deity had kept him from doing more with Iris than kissing. "Go to bed, Snapdragon. I´ll be there with your water in a minute."

"Good night, Iris," yawned the little redhead before she padded back to her bed.

Iris blushed and motioned Severus to hurry. "Good night, Snapdragon!" she piped.

Severus rushed to the kitchen for a glass of water and hurried after his daughter. Snapdragon sat in her bed, her arms wrapped around her knees.

"Here, child," Severus sat on the edge of the bed and held the glass out to the girl. Snapdragon took it in both hands and gulped the water down eagerly. "Wow," grinned the potions master, "you are one thirstly little girl."

The redhead nodded. "The bacon I had for dinner was so salty! Can I have another glass?"

"You´ll give yourself a stomach ache if you drink that much at once," Severus pointed out. "I´ll fetch you another glass in a little while."

Snapdragon agreed with a tired nod. "You don´t have to wait here, Daddy. Iris waits for you."

Iris. Had she seen them? Severus had hoped the backrest had blocked her view.

"You were kissing her," said Snapdragon, but it sounded more like a question than an observation.

"Do you mind?" Severus asked anxiously.

"No." Snapdragon shook her head and her long strands of hair dangled to and fro. "I remember Mummy and Daddy kissing. It made them smile. Even Aunt Petunia smiled when Uncle Vernon kissed her. I like it when you smile."

Severus kissed the girl´s forehead. "That´s very nice of you to say. I´ll get your water."

When he returned with the second glass, Snapdragon was fast asleep.

After putting the glass down on the bedside table and covering his daughter properly with her blanket, Severus returned to the living room. He closed the door behind him, careful to make no noise.

"What did she say? Did she see us?" asked Iris in low whisper.

"Not really, but she guessed what we were up to." Severus sat beside the blonde and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. He moved in to kiss her.

Iris stopped him with her hand placed gently on his lips. "And?" Her eyes were wide and fearful.

Severus kissed the fingers gently before he took them into his hand and pulled them to his heart. "She says kissing makes people smile and she wants me to smile." He grinned foolishly.

Iris sighed in relief.

Then they made each other smile.

-x-

"Severus."

Iris took the proffered glass of wine but set it down on the coffee table. The potions master frowned at the change of routine. For more than a year they had spent their evenings that way: Iris helped Snapdragon in the bathroom (mostly with her hair, being nearly six years old Snapdragon could handle anything else alone), Severus went to the girl´s bedroom to say good night and tuck her in. Then they spent an hour or so on the sofa. So why was today different?

"Yes?"

"We need to talk. We have been an item for more than a year now and we never..." Iris cast down her eyes. "Is there something wrong with me? Am I not pretty enough?"

Severus laughed, but he realised immediately that it was the wrong thing to do. Iris looked hurt. "No," he hurried to explain. "No! It has nothing to do with you. You´re the most beautiful woman I ever saw. I swear!" He tried to kiss her and she allowed it, but only briefly.

"What is it then?" asked Iris. Her eyes shimmered with tears.

"It´s me," Severus confessed in a hoarse voice. The moment had come. It couldn´t be avoided any longer. He took a long look at the woman he loved. She was going to hate him in a minute.

"You?" the witch asked in disbelief. "How can it be you? You´re so wonderful!"

"I am aware," Severus started awkwardly, "that you will be disgusted with me when I reveal what I´ve been hiding from you. I don´t ask to forgive me, as I know this was an unforgivable thing to do. All I ask of you is to try and understand that I couldn´t resist stealing a piece of heaven when it was offered." He paused.

"Severus, you frighten me." Iris whispered breathlessly.

"I´m sorry." It was the potions master´s turn to cast his eyes down. "I never meant to harm you. In any way." He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before he opened them and stared into Iris´ fearful ones. Slowly he rolled up his left sleeve.

There was a silence. Whether it lasted seconds or hours Severus couldn´t tell. He heard his blood rush in his ears. Why didn´t she say something? Anything?

He winced when she touched the mark. How could she besmirch her fingers with – this. Iris supported his forearm with her left hand while her right index finger traced the snake from the skull to its forked tongue.

"Why?"

Severus couldn´t but snort. If she only knew how often he had asked himself the same question. There was only one answer to give. "I was foolish."

"They say it was impossible to leave his ranks."

Severus took in a sharp breath. "Why do you think I left?"

"They´re all in Azkaban."

"They aren´t. Some bought their freedom."

"Hey," grinned Iris, "you´re paying me twenty galleons. You don´t have the money to buy your freedom. And if you did, the headmaster wouldn´t let you near this school."

"I..." How much could he tell her? "I was sent here. I was to spy on Albus. What He didn´t know was that he was after a friend and I changed sides to protect her."

"Did you succeed? Where is she?"

"Dead." Saying it still hurt. "Despite my efforts, she died."

"I´m sorry, Severus, that you couldn´t save your friend." Iris cupped the potions master´s cheek and he leaned into the touch. "So this was why you were content to kiss on the sofa? To hide this mark from me."

He nodded.

"Stupid you!" Iris leaned in and kissed him.

They spent the rest of the evening kissing and cuddling on the sofa.

-x-

Severus watched Snapdragon play with the toy broom the headmaster had given her for her birthday. Albus sat in the second armchair and clapped at a particularly impressive move the girl had made (as far as you could make impressive moves on a broomstick that didn´t lift you more than a few inches above the ground).

"Wonderful, my girl! Wonderful!" cried the old wizard. "Oh, I can´t wait to see you fly for one of Hogwarts´ house teams. Whichever house will get you can consider themselves lucky."

"I will be in Slytherin," cried Snapdragon. "Where Daddy was."

"But your mother was in Gryffindor," Albus reminded her. "And you´re very clever, so you´d fit into Ravenclaw. And you´re a good worker. So it may be Hufflepuff."

"I hope it will be Slytherin," insisted the girl. "Iris says green is my colour. Everything else clashes with my hair."

"Whatever house you´ll be in, we´ll change their colour to green," Severus smirked at the headmaster.

"Can you do that Albus?" Snapdragon hurried to her godfather. "Please, please, please?"

"Snapdragon," the headmaster laughed kindly, "the house colours were chosen by the founders themselves. I can´t change them to go with my beloved goddaughter´s hair!"

Snapdragon pouted.

"It´s late, Sweetheart, better get ready for bed," Severus pointed out.

"But it´s the holidays! We can sleep in tomorrow!" the redhead protested.

"You won´t want to," Severus smiled. "Iris promised to be back from her visit with her family in the morning."

"Tomorrow? Oh, I need to go to bed quickly. I don´t want to miss a thing tomorrow!" Snapdragon rushed to the bathroom.

Albus smiled after the girl benignly. "So Iris comes back tomorrow?"

Severus nodded and managed to stiffle a sigh only narrowly.

"Forgive me, Severus, but you don´t look happy. Is there something wrong? I had the impression that you and Iris were getting on well."

The potions master was saved by his daughter who came to say good night. She looked very cute in her flowery nightdress. "Good night, Albus and Daddy," she offered her cheek for a good night peck and Severus complied. "I´ll cover myself. You stay and chat with Albus."

"Are you sure?" Snapdragon never went to bed alone. Tucking her in had become a dear habit for Severus.

"Of course. I´m a big girl," the redhead said solemnly. "But if you don´t believe me you can tiptoe in and look for yourself later."

"Cheeky brat!" Severus laughed and slapped his fleeing daughter´s behind playfully.

"Not cheeky!" Snapdragon giggled and rushed to her room. "Good night!"

"They´re growing up so fast," Albus pointed out thoughtfully and Severus agreed. There was an awkward pause, which the older wizard broke at last. "So, my boy, what troubles you?"

Severus fidgeted in his armchair nervously. This was so embarrassing! But whom else could he ask for advice than his only friend? "The matter is a bit delicate," he started hesitantly. "Iris and I..." He took a gulp of wine. "We..." Another sip of wine.

"Go slow, my boy, or you´ll be not at your best when your lady returns. Why don´t you take a deep breath and then tell me what´s the problem."

Severus blushed. "So far we only kissed. I avoided anything else for fear how she´d react when she saw..." he rose his left arm and Albus nodded in understanding. "Back in June Iris asked why I was content with what we´ve been doing and I had to confess." He rose the arm again.

"How did she react?" Albus asked cautiously.

"She was very understanding and forgiving. I was sure I was going to lose her, but she said she knew I was no longer a deatheater."

"Did she."

Severus nodded and a small smile appeared on his face. "She said I can´t be as you trust me."

"So everything is well."

Severus shook his head and rubbed his forehead. "You don´t understand. She expects more and I... I have no idea what to do! I had no time for a girlfriend ever before. The only one I wanted before married an other guy."

"But that can´t be a problem!" Albus said with conviction. "She loves you!"

"You don´t understand!" Severus sounded tortured. "I have a daughter! The child has my eyes. How can I tell her that I´m completely inexperienced? She will think I´m having her on!"

"I see." It was Albus´ turn to hide behind his glass. "The question is whether you can tell her where Snapdragon comes from."

"Do you think that would be prudent?"

"No." Albus shook his head. "No, I don´t think anybody should know. Snapdragon is safe from Voldemort and his followers as long as nobody knows that she is the Girl Who Lived. You can´t take that safety from her for a woman."

"So what do I do?"

The headmaster pursed his lips. "I think I have a book that might be helpful. I´ll fetch it immediately."

Albus returned a quarter hour later to give Severus the book. The cover alone made the potions master blush crimson.


	8. A Sacrifice

**A Sacrifice**

Severus and Iris sat on the Slytherin quidditch stand and watched Snapdragon zoom to and fro on her broomstick. Severus still wasn´t sure it had been a good idea to buy a nine year old a racing broom, but Albus had insisted to spoil his goddaughter. The only good thing was that it was icy cold and Snapdragon likely would give up after some twenty minutes. Severus wasn´t sure he could stand the fear much longer.

"I fear to think what the headmaster will give her for her birthday, when it was a racing broom for Christmas." Iris snuggled up to Severus. Her nose was red with cold and the rest of her face barely visible between a voluminous scarf and a huge cap. The potions master gathered her a little closer. Their relationship was one of Hogwarts´ best-known secrets, so there was no need to pretend or fear being seen.

Iris watched the redhead for a while before she spoke up again. "You know, Sev, it´s strange. She barely showed any sign of magic so far, but the way she rides that broom suggests she has plenty. I was a bit worried."

"Worried?" Severus was bewildered.

"Worried," the blonde confirmed. "I mean she´s nearly ten years old, most children show first signs of magic at six or seven, but I´ve never seen her cause anything strange. Anything magical. I never said something, because you and the headmaster never seemed worried."

Severus smiled and kissed her nose as this was the only part of her face he had easy access to. "You´re cute."

"Cute? Well, thank you. Aren´t you worried at all? It´s also a bit strange. You are so powerful and she... You said her mother was a muggle?"

"Mmh," Severus made a vague sound to avoid telling a lie. "She´s more powerful than I. She did wandless magic at the age of four. We had to bind her magic. I control whether she can use it."

"What? Why didn´t you tell me?" Iris wriggled free to be able to look into the potions master´s eyes.

"It wasn´t important. And Albus and I agreed that it´s better if nobody knows."

"Can you set her magic free, when she starts school?"

"No, but the spell wears off. The older she gets, the more control she gets. We think the spell will last until she´s fourteen."

"But that means that she´ll be blocked for three school years!"

"As I said, I can allow her to control some of her magic. I´ll do that when she starts at Hogwarts."

"Nevertheless it´s not fair!"

"It was that, take it from her or kill her. Albus and I thought it was the best solution."

Iris was scandalized. "Kill her? How can you even think of it!" Severus held her gaze unblinkingly. "Oh! You can´t. That´s why you did what you did." The wizard nodded and gathered Iris closer again.

"Oh, don´t bother to watch your daughter fly! Just snog away!" Snapdragon was hovering in front of them. Her eyes and voice carried amusement.

"Don´t be cheeky with me, young lady," Severus said sternly, but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away.

Snapdragon giggled. "Can we go inside? I´m an icicle! I really need some cocoa now and we don´t want to give the students a shock, in case you two actually get carried away!"

"We´ll meet you in front of the pitch, little pest," said Severus and helped Iris up. They descended the steps, where Snapdragon was already waiting for them with her broom in hand. She handed it to Severus wordlessly, who laid it on his shoulder and carried it back to the castle. The girl hopped around them like a filly, all the while inquiring whether they had seen this or that flying maneuvre.

Snapdragon had cocoa in their quarters to get warm. Iris went for a warm shower and Severus, ever the pragmatist, cast another warming spell on his robes before he sat with his daughter.

"Mmmh, that was good," purred the little redhead. "How did you like my dive?"

"Great, sweetheart." Severus smiled.

Snapdragon laughed. "Got you, Dad. I did no dive! Admit that you were snogging Iris instead of watching me."

The potions master pouted. "Well, maybe a bit. Don´t you grant your old father a bit of fun?"

"You´re not that old," Snapdragon pointed out. "What do you think, Dad, will Iris let me call her Mum once you marry her?"

"Snapdragon, I´m not going to marry Iris," Severus said earnestly. The child´d better not mention the idea to Iris. The results would be desastrous.

"Are you not?" Iris sounded terribly hurt. She must have stepped out of her room just in time to hear the fateful statement.

Severus felt like crying. "Snapdragon, can you please go visit Albus? Iris and I need to talk."

"Sorry, Dad," the girl mumbled before she got up and left the quarters as quietly and quickly as possible.

"What am I for you, Severus? A bit of fun? Is that all?"

"Nonsense. You´re not just a bit of fun. You know that." Severus moved a bit over and patted the seat beside him invitingly, but Iris sat on the armchair instead of the sofa.

"Then why do you say you won´t marry me with such certainty. I don´t mean to push, Severus, but you sound like it will never happen."

"It won´t." Severus knew he was doomed with these words, but they had to be said.

"Severus, I want a family. A husband, children. You know that."

"I know. But I can´t give you what you want." Severus examined his fingers to avoid looking at the blonde.

"Why?"

"Because I made promisses – vows – before I met you. To marry means to put you in deadly peril. I love you too much to do that to you. I can´t."

"But you don´t love me enough to tell me that I choose to abandon my hopes and plans if I stay with you?" Iris was crying now. "When were you planning to tell me? When I was fourty? Fifty? When?"

"I wasn´t fair to you," Severus admitted. "It was only... I love you and I wanted to be with you for as long as I could. It was selfish. I thought if we just were together, but not married, I could send you away when things got too dangerous. You would be safe."

"Then why can´t I go when we´re married? To be safe?"

"If we got married, you´d want children. I can´t place a child in danger."

"What about Snapdragon?"

"I can´t help placing her in danger as she was born before I made those promisses. I never thought I´d have to raise her. I thought she´d stay with her mother. Away from me."

"So you´re making the decision for me. I have no say in whether I want to face that danger with you."

"No. There´s no decision to be made."

"In this case, there´s only one decision I can make, Severus."

"I know." The potions master sighed. "I´ve known for a while and I dreaded the moment you were going to make it."

Iris got up from her armchair. "Good bye, Severus," she whispered softly.

The potions master sat unmoving when she went to her room, he didn´t move when Iris left their quarters ten minutes later, nor when Snapdragon returned an hour later. The child´s eyes were red and her face was stained with tears.

"I´m sorry, Dad," she sobbed. "It was my fault."

"No, sweetheart," Severus gathered the crying child close and stroked her red curls. "It was my fault. Entirely mine. Let´s go to bed, dear."

He hadn´t tucked Snapdragon in for quite some time, but this evening he did. He sat on the edge of her bed for a while before he returned to the living room.

Iris´s door was gone.

-x-

Severus woke hugging his pillow and for a moment he was confused. What a strange behaviour and how very untypical for him. Then he remembered and one deep breath made him understand. A slight hint of Iris´ perfume hung to the pillow. He sniffed deeply, knowing that as soon as he left the bed a house elf might come and take the pillow case away and – unknowingly – erase the last trace of the blonde from Severus´ life.

Letting Iris go had been the most difficult thing he ever had to do in his life, but he knew it had been the right thing. He´d rather know Iris safe elsewhere than in danger by his side. The certainty to have made the right choice, however, didn´t mean he had to be happy.

Severus left his bed with a moan, he stroked the pillow case good-bye in a bout of nostalgia and went to the bathroom for his daily morning routine. The sight of Iris´ spare toothbrush was like a stab in his stomach. The potions master blinked back tears – of fury about his weakness, of course – before he banished the offending item.

When he returned to the bedroom, clean but by no means refreshed, he called an elf to change the pillow case and get over with what was unavoidable. He had to use all his willpower not to strangle the small creature who was taking away Iris while he watched the elf work.

A little later he met Snapdragon in the living room and they went up to the Great Hall for breakfast. Snapdragon was as subdued as he felt. Unlike every day, they went in silence all the way to their seats.

Albus was already there and, for some reason, looked worried.

Severus shoveled scrambled eggs on Snapdragon´s plate until the headmaster cleared his throat. The potions master bit his lip.

"Snapdragon, my dear," said Albus in a low voice, "would you mind sharing those eggs with me? I´ve been looking at that plater for at least twenty minutes, but couldn´t reach it."

"Gladly, Albus," said Snapdragon and pushed her plate towards her godfather, who relieved her of a part of the mountain of eggs her father had piled on it.

After breakfast Severus decided to forego their usual morning walk to the lake in favour of a quiet morning in the dungeons. Snapdragon accepted the change of their routine silently and followed him down to their quarters.

After an hour of staring into the roaring fireplace, Severus was startled by a small hand touching his. "I´m sorry, Dad," Snapdragon whispered.

"What for, daughter? You have no reason to be." Severus couldn´t muster the strenght to look at the child. The hypnotic dance of the flames was too intriguing.

"I made Iris go away," whispered Snapdragon. She sniffed. Was she crying? Severus fought down the urge to fix the flames and looked at the girl. Her face was wet with tears. The potions master felt a jolt of guilt. What kind of father was he? How could he selfishly wallow in grief while his little girl was suffering?

"Come here." He pulled Snapdragon onto his lap, which he hadn´t done in months. The girl allowed it although they had stopped the "lapsitting" (as she called it) at her request (she was a big girl). "It was I, who made Iris go away," Severus explained.

"Why did you do that?" Snapdragon asked heatedly. "How could you!"

"I´ll explain, but it´s quite complicated."

"I have time." Snapdragon said sternly. Severus stiffled a sigh. Merlin be merciful, if Snapdragon decided that he had chased away her beloved nanny-friend-mother without a good reason. Where to start?

-x-

"Do you remember how you came to Hogwarts?" Severus asked gently.

Snapdragon leaned against his shoulder and nodded. Some of her hair tickled Severus. "You pulled me through the mirror and there was a silver mist. You saved me from the evil, blond man."

"You remember right. I never asked you whether you know why the evil, blond man was after you."

"I don´t know," admitted the girl. She sat bold upright. "Do you know why he wanted to hurt me?"

"I´m afraid so." Severus gathered the child closer. "There is a very evil wizard in both our worlds. The one you come from and this one. This wizard´s name is Voldemort."

"Voldemort," whispered the girl. "I think I heard it before."

"Your mother and father fought the evil wizard and he killed them. He wanted to kill you, too. But when he tried, he only gave you this scar," Severus touched it gently, "and was nearly killed himself. The wizarding people celebrated the defeat of the evil wizard and you were their heroin."

"Wow! A heroin, me?" Snapdragon asked in awe. "That can´t be!"

"It is true, Sweetheart. Your mother´s sister was the only relative you had left and you were given to her to raise."

"She was not very nice," Snapdragon chimed in.

"I know," Severus kissed the child´s hair. "There were, however, some who wished the evil wizard was still alive. One of them was the blond man. That´s why he was after you. Because you defeated his master."

"Dad," Snapdragon asked sternly, "what has this to do with Iris?"

"Just a minute, I´ll come to the point. You know that many people exist in both worlds. I for example. I was your father in the other world, but not in this one."

"You are my father now!"

"Of course, and it´s my most noble and cherished duty. However, in this world I´m not the father of a child – but you, love – because your mother married an other man. This man was James Potter and in this world he was killed when your mother was killed, not me."

"My Mum died in this world, too?" Snapdragon looked at Severus with her big nearly black eyes. "I never thought she lived here, too. I could have gone to see her!"

"No, dear, you couldn´t. She died when you were a baby. When her baby boy was very small."

"She had a little boy in this world? I have a brother?"

"Technically, no, as it was not really your mother who had the boy. But in a way, yes, you have a half-brother. Harry Potter."

"Wow! I´m a sister! Where is Harry Potter?"

"With his aunt Petunia. In this world the blond man didn´t kill her. But what´s really important is that I promised to help Harry Potter if Voldemort ever returns. Yesterday I told Iris that I couldn´t marry her because of that. If Voldemort ever returns, I´ll be in grave danger. I couldn´t ask Iris to risk her life. I´m glad she left, for she´s safer that way. – Does this make sense, Sweetheart?"

"If that Voldemort guy returns, will he try to kill Harry Potter?"

"I´m afraid so."

"But you will help Harry Potter?"

"Yes."

"That´s good," Snapdragon snuggled closer. "You protect me. It´s only fair you protect my brother."

"You´re an angel," the potions master smiled. "You have to understand that nobody can ever know that you´re Lily´s daughter. It would put you into the same danger as Harry Potter."

"The evil guy doesn´t know I defeated him, too."

"Exactly. And we have to make sure he never learns. It has to be our secret."

"That´s why you keep saying my mother is a muggle?"

"Yes."

"Who knows the secret? Only you and me?"

"No. Albus and the lady who helped us with the adoption know."

"I see."

Severus felt better after telling Snapdragon the whole story. He had dreaded the moment he had to, but it seemed natural to tell her now. And she had taken it quite well.

"Dad? Can we go to the lake after lunch?" Snapdragon asked.

"Of course. After lunch."

-x-

"I take it you recovered a bit?" Albus looked at his potions master with concern. Severus and Snapdragon had come to dinner chatting, though not with the usual laughter.

"We had a long talk about why she left," the younger wizard replied. Mentioning Iris´ name seemed too hurtful. "We need to talk, Albus."

"Would you mind me joining you for a cup of tea later?" the headmaster asked.

"Not at all," Severus smiled and Snapdragon beamed at her godfather. "You could say good night," added the girl, "and sing that lullaby for me."

"I thought you were too old for that," Albus eyebrows disappeared under his hair.

Snapdragon hung her head and the old wizard laughed. "Let me tell you, child, there are things you are never too old for. I´ll gladly sing your lullaby for you."

Severus shuddered. Snapdragon refusing to have Albus sing for her had been one of the benefits of her growing up. What the two of them called a lullaby usually left them both wound up and Albus had a habit of disappearing when the girl became a little menace.

This was why Severus came to the point right after pouring Albus tea, while Snapdragon was in the bathroom. "I told her about Voldemort and Harry Potter."

Albus took a sip of tea. "I hope you´re talking about your daughter, not Iris."

"I am, although I´m very sure the secret were safe with Iris. – Don´t worry I didn´t tell her. I sticked to the muggle-mother cover story with Iris."

"I don´t doubt Iris´ loyalty to you and Snapdragon," Albus pointed out. "I´m merely thinking about what a legilimens could learn from her."

"A legilimens? Do you think that Voldemort would go after her? If she´s in danger despite me sending her away, I lost the woman I love in vain."

"No, no. I didn´t want to suggest he was going to hunt her down. If you want her protected, you did the right thing. I know it must be hurtful beyond belief, my boy."

The potions master took a sip of tea himself. "You don´t object to telling Snapdragon?"

"She has to learn about Harry before they start their magical education. Don´t forget they were born the same day. They will share classes. For all we know they could end up in the same house. If it helps her understand why Iris is gone, I don´t see why you shouldn´t tell her now."

Severus felt relieved that his old friend and mentor approved of his course of action. "She was blaming herself," he said in a low voice. "She brought up the topic of marriage. I had to make her see that it was unavoidable for me to send Iris to safety."

"You were right to tell her," Albus reassured the younger man. "Now look at you, young lady!" He got up and hurried to the bathroom door where Snapdragon stood, uncertain how to proceed. "Are you ready? I had an extra cup of tea to lubricate my vocal cords."

The girl nodded and took the old man´s hand happily.

Severus sipped his tea listening to a very false chorus of "Supercalifragilistic" from Snapdragon´s bedroom.


	9. The Sorting

**The Sorting**

The first years had never looked so small to Severus as he watched Minerva McGonagall lead them up to the Head Table where the Sorting Hat awaited them on its three-legged stool. He glanced at Snapdragon from the corner of his eyes. The girl sat beside him and her eyes glistened with anticipation.

"Next year," she whispered without taking her eyes off the new students, "it will be my turn! I will be down there with Auntie Minerva."

"You will," Severus whispered back and took her small hand in his, "but this year you´re here with me and I´m going to enjoy every moment of it."

"You know, I will be nearby when I move to the Slytherin dorms," giggled Snapdragon under her breath. "And I will pester you every evening and weekend."

"Mmh," Severus purred, "you won´t. You will be eager to stay with your little friends and cause mischief all the time. And we don´t know it will be Slytherin."

"I want you to be my Head of House!" Snapdragon insisted.

"You hurt me, young lady," Filius Flitwick chimed in. "Ravenclaw would be proud to have you in their house. It hurts that you don´t even consider the possibility."

"Sssh!" hissed Albus. "The Hat starts its song!"

Severus heard the hat´s words, but didn´t take in their meaning. All he could think about was that his little girl was going to be in the group of anxious first years in only one year´s time. Snapdragon on the other hand listened to the hat eagerly and watched the following sorting with glistening eyes.

The potions master´s daughter had become a frequent guest in lessons all over the school since her nanny had left – due to a family emergency, as the headmaster had informed the school. Severus and Albus had confered with the staff and they had agreed to let her sit in the first year classes. The potions master didn´t feel like hiring another nanny and the headmaster agreed that Snapdragon was old enough to entertain herself while her father was teaching. As the child had repeatedly expressed her wish to start her magical education and as Severus, Albus and Filius knew her natural power it was agreed that tolerating her in classes occasionally was not bad an idea.

Snapdragon spent most of what Albus called her "last year of freedom" with the Slytherin first years. She attended potions and herbology on a regular basis, but not transfiguration or charms. "I remember that I don´t need spells," she explained when Severus asked her shortly after Christmas.

"You will have to use them in order to hide your true powers," Severus reminded her.

"I know, Dad," Snapdragon replied. "And it will be easier to feign having to learn if I don´t know the spells in advance."

The one subject she never missed, however, was defence against the dark arts. In this subject she even made notes and did the homework. Professor Allenby, who replaced professor Quirrell during his sabatical, smiled at her benevolently when she handed in her first essay. When he found out that it was better than most first years´, he started correcting Snapdragon´s work seriously.

"You have a very gifted daughter, Severus," he said one evening in the staffroom, where Severus spent some of his evenings now that the girl was old enough to no longer need a babysitter after she went to bed. "Though I wonder what you´ve been telling her. She has a perception of the idea of evil I´m not sure is healthy for such a young child."

"You forget," Severus said not unkindly, "that she was the result of an affair between a wizard and a muggle at a time when such a liaison was not without danger. My mother´s family was pureblood. Although the old families regarded her marrying a muggle inappropriate, my getting involved with a muggle were considered blood treachery by many had they known about it at the time. I warned Lilian of the danger and she most certainly passed the warning on to her child."

"You cared enough for your muggle girlfriend to warn her, but you never made her a respectable woman." Although it was stated as a fact, Severus heard the question in it.

"You certainly do not expect me to share some juicy details of my past with you," the potions master said coldly. "I thank you for allowing my daughter to attend your classes as she seems to be interested in the subject, but her or my past is clearly not of your concern."

Allenby smiled awkwardly. "I´m sorry, Severus, I didn´t mean to sound nosy."

The potions master acknowledged the apology with a silent gesture. The subject was never touched again.

-x-

"Uncle Quirinus!" Snapdragon was out of her seat in an instant and ran to the door, where Quirinus Quirrell was standing. Quirrell wasn´t one of Hogwarts´ longterm staff, but in the year he had spent at the school Snapdragon had become quite attached to the man. Quirrell was younger than the rest of the staff – but Severus – and had a good way with children. Snapdragon loved their little games, the small gifts the wizard used to bring along when he visited them in their dungeons and the trips on the grounds he had taken her on when Severus and Iris wanted to have a little time to themselves.

The wizard extended his arms to catch the girl. "Snapdragon!" he whirled her around. "Of all the people at Hogwarts I was hoping to meet you most! You´ve grown, girl! Your father is feeding you well!"

"Actually it´s the house elves doing the feeding," giggled the girl.

By then Albus, Severus and the other teachers had reached their colleague. "Quirinus!" cried the headmaster. "How good to see you again, my dear boy! How was your sabatical? Did you enjoy your journey?"

"Thank you for those wonderful cards you sent," Minerva joined the greetings. "Albania must be marvellous!"

"It is! It most certainly is!" cried Quirrell. He set the little redhead he was still holding back on the ground. He rummaged in his pocket. "I have a present for you. Look! This is a scarab amulett. It will protect you against quackery." The man winked at Snapdragon.

"Thank you! It´s beautiful." Snapdragon handed the amulett to Severus who checked it for Dark Magic wandlessly. The potions master smiled at the girl proudly. She knew better than to put on an unknown magical object. "What do you think, Dad?"

"Yes, it´s beautiful." Severus agreed. "Turn around and I´ll help you put it on. – A beautiful necklace for a beautiful lady," he stated playfully.

Snapdragon beamed at him and Quirrell. "Does it go well with my hair?" she asked, concerned.

Severus sighed dramatically. "Somebody conjure a mirror, please."

The assembled teachers laughed and Albus himself beat them to the task.

"So, Quirinus," the headmaster said as he ushered the man to the table, where they had been having lunch when he arrived. "You have to tell us everything. For example, where did you acquire that turban you´re wearing?"

-x-

Diagon Alley was full of witches and wizards. It was the end of August and like every year the wizarding shopping street was crowded with customers. There were people who had returned from their summer vacation and needed things to restart their business or everyday life, there were potioneers from all over Britain going for the dried herbs of spring and summer in the apothecaries and most importantly, there were families shopping for their children´s school supplies.

Severus would have prefered to stay at the castle and let Hagrid buy what Snapdragon needed as the half-giant had to go to Diagon Alley with young Harry Potter anyway. But his daughter would not have it. She loved shopping in London. The potions master, being very protectiv of the girl, had taken her there only on rare occasions, but she certainly recognised starting at Hogwarts as a student for an opportunity to go shopping and she was not ready to miss it.

The potions master followed her into Madam Malkin´s to get her school robes, which was nonsense as far as he could tell. Madam Malkin had provided Snapdragon´s clothes for the past seven years. The witch knew the girl´s measures as Severus had bought her a new green cloak for her birthday. So all they had to do was place an order and the school robes would come by owl, but he wasn´t that lucky.

Snapdragon searched the racks for her robes, deaf for Severus´ protests. "I know they´re all black, Dad, but look! The stitches are different and the fabrics! And this one has extra pockets!" She finally chose a pair of robes, which looked no different from anything Severus had seen his students wear in the past ten years. But as the girl looked happy when she stood on her stool and Madam Malkin´s assistant checked the length of the sleeves, Severus said nothing.

After the robes shop it was the apothecary´s, which was nonsense, too. "You are aware that your father is a potions master, aren´t you?" Severus made a feeble attempt to avoid this stop in a shop. "I have loads of the stuff you´ll need in my storage cupboards."

"You don´t expect me to use the school ingredients! What would my classmates think! They´d take me for the teacher´s pet!"

"You´re not my pet! You are my daughter!"

"This is something completely different! I can´t help being your daughter! But I can avoid being the teacher´s pet!"

They stared at each other angrily. Severus was furious! How dare she! ´Not help being his daughter´! Snapdragon looked up at him from under her lashes. "Please, Daddy! I just want to fit into the class!" she begged. "Using your ingredients all the time would make me different."

The potions master sighed. "Oh, come on, you little pest," he wrapped one of his arms around the child´s shoulder. "Let´s get your ingredients. – But I will negotiate the prize."

Snapdragon giggled and allowed herself to be steered into the shop happily.

Several hours later they returned to the castle charged with a cauldron(!), several bags of school clothes, new shoes, a telescope, a bar of dark chocolate for Severus and a spitting basket. The chocolate was Snapdragon´s doing who insisted that Severus had to get something for himself, too. The spitting basket contained a black cat as the redhead refused to be the only child in her year without a pet. She had no use for an owl as she knew nobody outside Hogwarts and a toad, she informed her father, was uncool. Severus tried to point out that toads produced highly useful slime, but the girl wouldn´t hear about it.

"I thought about something," Snapdragon said when she came to the living room to say good-night. "All the other children will come on the express. They will know each other when they arrive. Can I go on the train, too? Please?"

Severus glared at the child. "Don´t tell me you had time to think between all that shopping!" he growled.

"I had time when you paid," Snapdragon informed him. "So, may I? Please, please, please?"

"I will not take your things to London." Severus stated.

The girl beamed, fell on his neck and pecked his cheek. Then she rushed to her bedroom.

-x-

Severus Snape had thought he would never see King´s Cross station again. He hadn´t enjoyed his own journeys on the Hogwarts Express, courtesy to Misters Potter and Black, and he´d been more than relieved when he got his apparition licence, thus never having to travel on that train again.

Now he stood near a muggle news-stall in the station building with his daughter beside him. The girl wore muggle jeans and a green shirt. A small rucksack holding her robes was slung over her shoulder. Her long curly hair was tied back in a ponytail for the journey.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Severus asked for the umpteenth time.

"Yes. Can we go to the platform now?"

The potions master gave in with a sigh and led the way to the barrier. They went through it hand in hand. The scarlet steam engine was ready to leave. Severus had made sure they were neither too early nor late. A large group of students was already there and boarding the train. The wizard knelt beside his little girl.

"Are you sure you´re going to be all right, sweetheart?"

Snapdragon nodded. "Of course. How hard can it be to ride a train?"

The potions master handed her her ticket, which she put into her jeans pocket and a sickle. "Get yourself lunch."

"Thanks, Dad." Snapdragon took the coin. "Will this be enough for some sweets?"

"I said lunch, young lady!"

"What´s wrong with dessert?"

Severus sighed and added two knuts for sweets. Snapdragon beamed and hugged him. The potions master returned the gesture. "You´d better go looking for a seat. I´ll see you in the evening, love."

Snapdragon pecked his cheek and – after reminding him to take good care of her cat Rasputin – made her way to the train with springy steps.

Severus waved from the platform when the train departed and when it had gone around a bend, he apparated back to Hogsmeade. He decided to have lunch at the Three Broomsticks. By the time Rosmerta placed his soup in front of him, he missed Snapdragon desperately.

-x-

Snapdragon waved to her father until she couldn´t see him any longer. Then she went to find herself a seat. She passed compartement after compartement. They were all full and she had to go to the next carriage and then to the next. She should have found a seat first, before she stood by the window to wave. Maybe taking the train hadn´t been a good idea after all.

She spotted a boy, who was about a head taller than she was, but had equally red hair. Apparently, he was looking for a seat, too. She hurried to close the distance to him.

"Hi," she said, "are you looking for a seat, too?" It was a lame thing to say, but she couldn´t think of anything else.

"Yes," said the boy, who had freckles on his nose, "the train is pretty full. I´m Ron. Ron Weasley."

"Snapdragon Snape," the girl introduced herself.

Ron stiffled a giggle and Snapdragon glared at him. "Do you find my name funny?"

"Not at all," said Ron, but the amused twinkle of his eyes gave him away.

"It´s not nice to laugh about a name," said Snapdragon.

"I know, sorry. We can´t choose what our parents name us." He leaned a bit closer. "My second name is Bilius. How odd is that."

Snapdragon smiled in sympathy. "Let´s go on looking. There have to be free seats somewhere."

They went on in companiable silence until Ron stopped short in front of a compartement. "Here seems to be free."

A small boy with black hair and shabby jeans sat alone in a compartement. He was looking out of the window.

"Can we sit here?" Ron asked as he opened the door.

The darkhaired boy turned to face them. He had the most amazing green eyes Snapdragon had ever seen. "Of course," said the boy. "Sit down."

Ron sat opposite of the boy and Snapdragon sat beside him.

"Are you siblings?" the boy asked.

Ron and Snapdragon looked at each other, bewildered. Then Ron laughed. "Oh, you think so because of the hair! No! I´m Ron Weasley and this is Snapdragon Snape. – We met on our quest for seats," he added dramatically.

"I´m Harry, Harry Potter," said the small boy.

Snapdragon and Ron both gasped.

"Does this mean you have the ... you know, the scar?" Ron asked eagerly and Harry lifted his fringe to show it.

"Does this mean you are my brother?" Snapdragon wanted to say, but she remained silent and smiled at Harry.

"So you have brothers at Hogwarts?" Harry asked Ron after a little while.

The redhead nodded. "Three. You met Fred and George on the platform. They´re in third year. And Percy is in fifth. Actually I have five brothers, but Bill and Charlie already graduated."

"Charlie was Quidditch captain, wasn´t he?" Snapdragon asked.

"Yes, how do you know?" Ron asked curiously.

"My dad teaches at Hogwarts. It was Charlie Weasley who made me long for my own broomstick. He´s an amazing player!"

"He´s a dragon keeper in Romania now," Ron said proudly. "And your dad is at Hogwarts? Wow, you must be looking forward to going there. You´ll be able to see him every day."

Snapdragon laughed. "I´ve been living at Hogwarts for the past seven years. I do see my dad every day."

"So why are you on the train?" Harry asked curiously.

"I wanted to arrive with the other first years, to get to know them on the train. I thought it would be strange if everybody arrived on the train and I was to wait for all of you at Hogwarts."

"You´d be singled out," Harry nodded understandingly.

A little later the witch with the food trolley came by and Snapdragon bought a cucumber sandwich, a small bottle of pumpkin juice and a chocolate frog. Ron pointed at his lunchbag when the witch looked at him questioningly. Harry asked the witch for an assortment of wizarding sweets and got them.

They ate in silence for a while. Harry traded some of his sweets for one of Ron´s sandwiches. They had fun with Bertie Bott´s Every Flavour Beans for a while (Harry got a pepper bean and his face was priceless). Then Snapdragon opened her chocolate frog. Ron and she went for the card eagerly, while Harry observed the hopping frog with interest.

"Albus Dumbledore," Ron said disappointedly. "I have six of them."

"I have only one, but mine has an autograph," said Snapdragon.

Harry looked at the card eagerly. "You know him personally?"

The girl chuckled. "He´s my godfather."

"Woah!" cried Ron. "He´s the most powerful wizard alive!"

Their conversation was interrupted by a girl with bushy brown hair, Hermione Granger, who came looking for a toad. When Hermione had left, they didn´t return to the topic of Albus being Snapdragon´s godfather. Instead they talked a bit more about the Weasley family. Ron told them about his other brother, Bill, who worked as a curse-breaker for Gringott´s.

They travelled to the castle in boats. Snapdragon loved the view of the school from the lake. Her father and Iris had taken her along when they went rowing. (Actually only dad rowed, but nobody bothered.) This however, was the first time she saw the castle from the lake by night and it was simply amazing. Hagrid had taken Harry, Snapdragon and Ron into his boat. The girl knew he usually took two students in, but as they had come to him as a trio, the gentle half-giant didn´t seperate them.

After climbing the stairs from the small grotto that was Hogwarts´ own little marina, Hagrid presented the first years to Minerva – professor McGonagall, Snapdragon had to keep in mind not to call the teachers by their first names unless in private from now on. The witch smiled at the girl before she explained to the group of children about the Hogwarts houses.

"Do you know what house you´ll be in?" whispered Harry.

"I hope Gryffindor," Ron whispered back. "All my family is or was in Gryffindor."

"Slytherin," whispered Snapdragon, "my dad´s head of Slytherin."

"A wise decision," a blond boy joined the conversation. "I´m Draco Malfoy. The Malfoys have been in Slytherin for centuries." He offered his hand and Snapdragon shook it with a friendly smile. "So it is true," the blond continued, "Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts." He offered his hand to Harry, too, who followed Snapdragon´s lead and shook Draco´s hand.

"Why are you shaking this scum´s hand?" Ron asked, grumbling.

"Hear who´s talking. Won´t your mother miss her rag? What will she use to wipe the floor now that you wear it, Weasley?" Draco sneered.

Ron blushed and Harry looked helplessly from one boy to the other. Snapdragon, having lived at Hogwarts for most of her life, knew about the rivalries between pureblood families, the importance of blood-status and the fight for influence, but Harry had no idea.

The girl felt a jolt of pity for her muggle-raised halfbrother. How was he going to cope with the fame that came with being the Boy Who Lived? How was he going to find his way in the wizarding world?

She was startled out of her musings by professor McGonagall, who led the group of first years into the Great Hall and down the isle toward the stool, where the Hat waited for them. Some of the Slytherin second years waved to Snapdragon and she waved back, shyly. She had watched the sorting so often, but being part of the group was so different! Her pulse was going quickly and despite knowing the Great Hall like her pocket, she didn´t know where to look first.

Things got a little better when she caught a glimpse of her father. Severus was smiling proudly at his daughter. Snapdragon smiled back and he winked at her.

The Sorting Hat sang another song and then the sorting started. The first student was a girl with pigtails, Susan Bones, and she went to Hufflepuff. Snapdragon watched the proceedure intently. She wanted to know the names of all her year. These were the children who were in her classes. These were the young witches and wizards she was probably going to find her friends among.

The girl watched how Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Draco Malfoy and others went to her father´s house. She hoped to follow them soon. Why was S so far back in the alphabet?

"Harry Potter!"

Whispers started in the so far quiet hall. Ah, yes, the sorting of the Boy Who Lived certainly was interesting. Snapdragon hoped that Harry was going to be a Slytherin, too. That way she could be close to her brother.

Harry sat on the stool and professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head. There was a long silence. Snapdragon was not surprised. Sometimes the hat took its time to decide and placing the Boy Who Lived certainly wasn´t easy. The hat had to contemplate.

"Gryffindor!" cried the hat at last and Harry placed the hat on the stool and hurried to the enthusiastic Gryffindor table.

A little while later it was Snapdragon´s turn. She sat and let Auntie Minerva place the hat on her head.

"Ah, little Miss Snape," said the hat in her head. "I´ve been looking forward to sorting you for years. Ever since you came to Hogwarts. Now, let´s see what we have in here." The was a silence, which was finally broken by a wolf-whistle. "The Girl Who Lived? I´m impressed, my dear, I´m impressed. Well, like I said to young Mr. Potter, you have everything you need for Slytherin." Snapdragon smiled. Yes, that was where she wanted to go. Her father´s house. It was a pity that she couldn´t help Harry accommodate to the magical world from there, but certainly he was going to find friends in Gryffindor. "Well, my dear," the hat continued, "it is true that Mister Potter will need help. And what is even more important, you will need all the courage you can get. So let it be GRYFFINDOR!"

Snapdragon placed the hat back on the stool. She glanced up at her father before she went to her new house table. Severus´ eyes shone with pride and love as he clapped along with the rest of the hall. The redhead sighed with relief. He didn´t mind that she was placed in her mother´s house and not his. She smiled at her father and went to join Harry at the Gryffindor table.

"Hi," Harry greeted her. "I´m glad we´re in the same house."

Snapdragon smiled. "Let´s hope Ron will be in Gryffindor, too."

A little later they got their wish. The feast was spent with chatting about Hogwarts. The older Weasley brothers had chosen seats near the first years to be able to take care of their youngest brother and entertained their new house mates with scraps of information about ghosts, house rivalries and teachers.

"Who´s that teacher with the turban?" asked Ron.

"This is professor Quirrell, defence against the dark arts," explained Fred.

"I met him in London when I went shopping with Hagrid," added Harry. "He seems to be nice."

"He is," said Snapdragon. "He´s also very funny and he knows games from all over the world. He spent the last year travelling to learn more about the dark arts. His stories about Central Africa and Albania are amazing."

The others looked a bit envious.

"So, who´s your dad?" Harry asked eagerly.

"The man professor Quirrell is talking to. With the dark hair."

"He doesn´t look a lot like you," Hermione Granger pointed out.

Snapdragon shook her head. "No, he doesn´t. He says I come after my mum. But I have his eyes."

The Gryffindors stared at the head table as if willing Severus Snape to look in their direction to enable them to compare his eyes to Snapdragon´s.

"Stop staring at him!" giggled Snapdragon. "You´ll see in potions."

"Woah!" cried Ron, "your father will be your teacher? Cool! I bet you won´t have to do homework!"

Snapdragon snorted. "You don´t know my dad. I´ll probably get double assignments to make sure nobody thinks he´s favouring me. And I have to take potions exams with the OWL students every year. He can´t mark me, being my father."

"But wouldn´t the headmaster examine you, if the teacher can´t?" asked Percy Weasley.

"Normally, yes. But Albus is my godfather, so he can´t either."

"Crap!" said George. "Sitting an exam every year with an outside examiner won´t be fun."

Snapdragon shrugged. "I like potions and Dad says I´m good at it. I´ll just have to work all year and it will be okay, I guess."

When they got up to be shown to Gryffindor tower, Snapdragon waved to her father before she followed Percy Weasley, the prefect in charge.


	10. A Secret Revealed

**A Secret Revealed**

Severus watched his girl sit at the Gryffindor table from the corner of his eye. She seemed happy. Good. He had feared she´d be disappointed when the Hat didn´t place her in his house, but she seemed to do well so far. Perhaps Snapdragon going to her mother´s house wasn´t so bad. This way she was close to Harry Potter and Severus could keep an eye on the boy unsuspiciously. How come the boy was so small? Even Snapdragon was taller than he was. The boy hadn´t been small for his age when Severus had seen him at the age of nearly four. Didn´t Petunia feed the child?

Severus tried to remember Potter senior. Had he been smaller than his peers? Lily was on the tall side, for a girl. So it had to come from the Potter side. But James Potter had never been smaller than Severus himself as far as the potions master remembered.

Well, the house elves were going to feed Potter up a little.

He was startled out of his musings by Albus sending the students to bed. Severus craned his neck for his daughter. He smiled when she waved and returned the gesture. Snapdragon looked happy. This was all that counted.

-x-

Snapdragon had never been to Gryffindor tower before. The portrait, the circular Common Room, the red armchairs and sofas were as new for her as for the other first years. She took in her new surroundings eagerly. So here she was going to spend the next seven years.

A female prefect took over the group of first year girls from Percy. She led the way upstairs to their dormitory. "Boys can´t enter the girl´s domain," she explained. "You can go to the boys´, but we rarely do."

"Isn´t this a bit outdated? To make a difference between boys and girls like that?" asked Hermione and Snapdragon couldn´t agree more.

"It is, but the difference was made by the founders themselves and you will find that things going back to the founders are rarely changed at Hogwarts." The prefect shrugged.

The first year girls´ dormitory was a nice circular room with five beds. A trunk was standing in front of every bed. Snapdragon´s was the bed closest to the door and the trunk beside her´s was Hermione´s.

They went to bed quickly and in nearly complete silence. The journey had been long and exhausting and nobody felt like chatting.

It seemed natural to go downstairs to breakfast with Hermione. "This castle is so big!" cried the bushy-haired girl. "I just hope I´m not going to get lost!"

"I know the way to the Great Hall," Snapdragon soothed her. "We won´t get lost."

"It must be so exciting to grow up at Hogwarts!" Hermione´s eyes twinkled.

"Not really. King´s Cross station, that was exciting!" said Snapdragon.

"Why would a station be exciting?" Hermione was bewildered.

"Because I´ve never been to one before," the redhead pointed out.

The other girl stopped in her tracks. "You mean, you never went on a train before?"

Snapdragon shook her head. "Nope. I spent all my life here at Hogwarts. We went shopping to London sometimes, but then we always apparated. For me the muggle world was just as strange as Hogwarts must seem to you. – I lived in the muggle world before my mum died, but I can´t remember anything."

"Your mum was a muggle?" They went on, but slower than before.

Snapdragon nodded affirmatively. "She and dad weren´t married. It was too dangerous for a wizard and a muggle to get married back then. When she died, dad took me in. I was four."

"I´m sorry that your mum died."

"So am I. But I have dad."

They changed topic when they reached the Great Hall. Snapdragon waved to her father from afar and sat with Hermione for breakfast. Harry and Ron arrived some minutes later.

"How did you find your way down here so quickly?" Ron panted. "Oh – I see."

"That was really clever to get yourself a guide, Hermione," grinned Harry. He poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice.

"Hermione found her way on her own," said Snapdragon. "Some of us pay attention and all we had to do was walk yesterday´s way up back down."

Hermione giggled and Snapdragon looked smug.

Professor McGonagall moved along the table and handed her Gryffindors their timetables.

"Thanks, Minerva," Snapdragon said absentmindedly between two forkfuls of scrambled egg. The clatter of cuttlery ceased and too late the girl realised her slip of tongue. She blushed. "I´m sorry, Ma´am. I didn´t mean to be disrespectful, professor." Snapdragon stammered.

"I certainly hope so, Snapdragon Snape," the professor said sternly. "I will overlook your cheek this once, but rest assured that I will take house points next time."

"There won´t be a next time, professor," Snapdragon promised solemnly.

The professor acknowledged the promise with a curt nod before she went on to the next student.

A little later, Severus strolled to the Gryffindor table in what he hoped was a casual way. "Was there any problem?" he asked when he stood behind his daughter.

"No, Sir," the girl answered and turned around to face him. "No problem."

"But that wasn´t what it looked like."

"It was nothing." Snapdragon blushed again. How could he embarrass her like that in front of his new friends.

"Are you sure?" Severus´ voice was full of concern.

"I wouldn´t say so if I wasn´t." The surrounding Gryffindors held their breath.

"But..."

Snapdragon dropped her fork. "Listen, Dad," she said as calmly as she could while she was shaking with fury. "You want me to behave like a student. Fine. Then could you, please, just behave like a teacher? I can´t remember you ever behave like a mother hen over any student who got told off by an other teacher."

"I will not be spoken at like this!" Severus said icily.

"You made me!" Snapdragon cried. "I told you I was okay, why couldn´t you just drop it?"

"Don´t be cheeky with me, young lady," the potions master growled. "Or it will be points from Gryffindor."

"Oh, suddenly you remember being a teacher."

"Ten points ... "

" . . . won´t be taken from anyone. Stop it, both of you." Albus stood beside Severus and lay a calming hand on the younger wizard´s shoulder. Snapdragon hung her head. "Don´t be childish, you two. Everybody knows that Snapdragon is your daughter, Severus. There´s no use in trying to make it appear otherwise. You have to be teacher and student in class, but not all the time. While it´s appropriate that Snapdragon calls her other teachers ´professor´ at mealtimes it is not for you. Stop quarrelling." He left in a flourish of magenta robes.

"I´m sorry, Dad," Snapdragon whispered.

Severus wrapped the child in his arms. "It is I, who is sorry. I was overprotective." He kissed her hair. The girl hugged him back for a moment before she stepped back. "Don´t you have any timetables to hand out?"

Severus laughed. "I have, indeed," he returned to the Slytherin table and Snapdragon sat back down.

"Wow," sighed Seamus Finnegan, who was a first year, too. "It must be difficult to be you."

-x-

Lessons started with Charms for the first year Gryffindors. Snapdragon was glad about that. Professor Flitwick knew about her bound magic, so his class was the best place to get comfortable with her wand and the amount of magic her father was willing to give her control over.

"Good morning, children," the professor greeted the class, which consisted of Gryffindors and Slytherins. "As this is the very first lesson in your magical education we will start easily. We will get acquainted with our wands, which are the most important tool for a witch or wizard. Only very few are so powerful they can do magic without one. At present we know only of three wizards, who are capable of wandless magic. One of them is Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of this school."

"Please, Sir," Draco raised his hand, "who are the other two?"

"The other two live very far away. One of them lives near the Amazonas, where he researches the properties of plants found in the rain forest and the other is a woman in Russia. – You Know Who was another wizard known to do wandless magic, but he is dead, of course."

Snapdragon felt a cold shiver run down her back at the mention of the wizard who had tried to kill her and Harry.

"But back on topic," continued the professor. "Lay your wand on the table in front of you. As you can clearly see it has a handle on one side. This is where you hold it. Always. Holding the other end could produce devastating results, as the wand then points at yourselves. Now, let me show you how to hold the wand." He demonstrated. "Go ahead, children, pick it up. Good."

The first years looked at the wizard expectantly. Were they going to do magic now?

"As you all saw when you purchased your wands, the wand reacts automatically to your touch. Kindly wave the wand."

They all did and cascades of colourful sparks, wifts of music, rainbows and rains of flowers filled the classroom for some time.

"Wonderful," cried the professor. "This will only work with your own wand. As Mr. Ollivander uses to say, the wand chooses the wizard. Once it has chosen you, it won´t work well for other witches or wizards. Let´s try it out. Kindly switch wands with your neighbour and try again."

The students obeyed. Snapdragon exchanged wands with Harry, who sat beside her. She felt a rush of magic run through her when she touched her halfbrother´s wand. As soon as she waved it, a shower of ruby red rose petals rained down on her and there was music in the air, as if a woman sang a very melancholic song without actually using words. Snapdragon turned to Harry, who was surrounded by an eerie blue light and white sparkles.

"Oh my!" cried professor Flitwick. "Now this is really rare! Usually only members of the same family can use each other´s wands! Professor Dumbledore will be thrilled to hear about this!"

Dumbfounded Snapdragon and Harry gave back each other´s wands.

The professor then explained how the wand was used to control their magic. "As a first exercise you will learn how to move things." He waved his own wand and small balls hovered from his desk to the students´ tables. "Point your wand at your ball and concentrate. The spell is _Moveo_. There´s no special wand movement required."

The students followed the instructions and soon first cries of triumph filled the classroom. Snapdragon pointed her wand at the ball and said the spell. It felt like walking through syrup and she realised that what she felt must be her father´s restraints on her magic. Nevertheless the ball rolled to the left obediently.

"Wow," said Hermione, who sat on her other side. She tried to follow Snapdragon´s lead and on her second attempt she succeeded.

Harry and Ron had more difficulties, but by the end of the lesson the four Gryffindors had their balls racing along the floor and professor Flitwick clapped enthusiastically.

-x-

As soon as the group had left the classroom to go to their next lesson, History of Magic, the teasing began. It wasn´t the Gryffindors, but the Slytherins lost no time.

"Potter loves Snape," Pansy Parkinson and her friends chanted all the way to the History classroom. "Potter loves Snaaaaa-haaaape!"

Snapdragon glared at the dark haired girl angrily.

"Shut up, Parkinson," spat Ron. Harry blushed crimson.

"What, Weasley," drawled Draco, "want the redhead for yourself? Well, she would fit into your family with that red fur of hers."

"Shut up," Ron repeated with an insecure glance at Snapdragon.

Hermione patted Ron´s arm calmingly. "Don´t, Ron, they´re not worth it." She tried to coax her fellow Gryffindors into proceeding to the History classroom.

Snapdragon followed her lead willingly. The Slytherins couldn´t know about her secret, so what if they teased her about her brother. Hermione was right. The whole matter wasn´t worth a second thought.

"I don´t think she´s interested in you, Potter. You know, most girls don´t want to look down on their boyfriends. Why would she go for a dwarf..."

Harry´s eyes filled with angry tears and Draco noticed it. "But then, perhaps she´s not the girl in this relationship." The blond boy smirked at the Gryffindors.

Wham!

Snapdragon punched the Slytherin in his face. She knew she´d be in trouble, but she was not going to let the blond offend herself or one of her friends, least of all her brother. Well, at least she hadn´t hexed him.

Draco tried to stop the blood running from his nose with his sleeve, to little success. "You broke my nose, witch!" he gasped.

"Do you want me to show you the way to the hospital wing?" Snapdragon offered coolly.

The blond boy glared at her, but the pain was stronger than his anger. "Yes!" he hissed.

The redhead led the way to Madam Pomfrey´s realm. "Snapdragon!" beamed the matron. "How nice of you to visit. Shouldn´t you be in class?" She frowned as she took in the bleeding boy. "Mr. Malfoy! What happened to you?"

Draco pointed at Snapdragon accusingly. "She broke my nose!"

The matron opened her mouth to reprimand the boy, but Snapdragon confirmed it was true in a small voice. Madam Pomfrey made her sit down on one of the beds and wait while she took care of the boy´s injury. The nurse hadn´t finished her task before the Head of Slytherin arrived.

"What happened?" Dad asked sternly.

"Miss Snape here broke Mr. Malfoy´s nose," the nurse explained.

Dad looked so disappointed, Snapdragon wanted to cry. But as Draco was watching, this was out of question.

"Explain yourself," snapped Dad.

"The Slytherins teased me and one of my housemates. I lost my temper," Snapdragon said in a small voice. She hoped her father would read her regret without her actually wording it.

"I will leave it to your head of house to deal with you," Dad said coolly. "Go to class now."

-x-

Professor McGonagall approached Snapdragon and Harry at lunch to inform them that the headmaster wished to speak to them after dinner.

The redhead spent the afternoon slightly distracted. She wondered what Albus had to say about their mutual compatibility to their wands, for she was sure the meeting was about this. The headmaster never took care of disciplinary matters himself.

The only subject they had in the afternoon was to be transfiguration, but the professor dedicated the lesson to explaining about the library. The class went to Madam Pince´s dominion and the librarian lectured them on library rules. After this professor McGonagall lectured them on the value of secondary literature for their homework. At last the librarian gave them a tour of the place, explaining about the various sections. The last piece of information was on how to get a permission file for the restricted section, though "they weren´t going to need one for five years or so" as the witch pointed out to the children.

At dinner Snapdragon observed Albus intently. She knew her godfather wouldn´t forego dessert, so she waited until he had finished his second portion of chocolate pudding.

"Come on, Harry," she said when Albus stood. "Time to go."

Ron and Hermione watched them go with a mixture of pity and awe.

"Do you know where the headmaster´s office is?" Harry asked doubtfully.

"Of course," Snapdragon pointed out. "I´m his goddaughter. Why would I not?"

"But he´s the most powerful wizard alive!"

"So?" the girl hurried up the stairs with Harry in her tow. "Snapdragon!" she informed the gargoyle which guarded the spiral staircase. The creature hopped aside obediently.

"Wow!" cried Harry. "He uses your name as a password?" He stepped on the moving staircase carefully.

"No, silly! I have my own password! He says I´m always welcome."

Harry looked dumbfounded. On second thought having an own password for Albus Dumbledore´s office was awesome.

Snapdragon knocked politely at the door at the end of the staircase and they were called inside immediately. Dad was there, too.

-x-

"Snapdragon!" Severus pulled his daughter into a hug. "How have you been doing? What happened with Malfoy?"

The girl returned the hug enthusiastically. "Great, Dad, great! I lost my temper when he teased me and Harry. – You don´t mind me being in Gryffindor, do you?"

"I wouldn´t love you less if the Hat had announced you should go into the lake and be taught by the squid, you know that," laughed Severus. "I don´t mind which house you´re in, child. Only, you won´t win too many points for them, will you?" He held the girl at arm´s lenght and scrutinized her face. Yes, she looked happy.

"What was it you wanted to see us for, Albus?" Snapdragon asked curiously after a little hug from her godfather.

"Filius told me about what happened in Charms, my child," Albus said benignly. "That you and Harry" – he smiled at the boy who had been silently watching them – "exchanged wands."

"Professor Flitwick said it was most unusual," piped Harry.

"Not for family," said Albus. He sighed. "We´d better sit down for this conversation." He ushered the small group to the fireplace and poured tea for everybody. "Severus, would you mind explaining to Harry?"

Severus stiffened. "I´d prefer if you did, Albus." He gathered his daughter closer protectively.

"Harry," said the headmaster after a short pause, "what I have to tell you now has to remain a secret at all cost. It can´t leave this room. I´d have prefered for you to not know at this point, but knowing will make things easier for you. You need to understand."

The boy nodded solemnly and nibbled one of Albus´ ginger biscuits.

"Professor Snape here," Albus started his tale, "was a friend of your mother, he even loved her." Harry´s eyes lit with interest at the mention of his mother. "Your mother, however, chose James Potter over him. Professor Snape, who couldn´t forget his feelings for your mother, made a vow to protect her and you. Unfortunately he didn´t succeed in protecting your mother. Shortly after her death, he discovered a potion, which showed him a different universe, where your mother had chosen him over James Potter and they had a little daughter. Things went similar to our world there. Lord Voldemort killed Lily and her husband and their child went to her aunt Petunia."

Harry eyed the headmaster and Severus with open curiosity now and the potions master wondered how long it would take for the boy to understand that Snapdragon was Lily´s child.

"Unlike our universe," the headmaster continued after a sip of tea, "Lord Voldemort´s followers searched for the Child Who Lived after the dark wizard´s defeat. One of them found her, killed her aunt and thus took away the protection her mother had granted. Professor Snape was able to reach through the gap between the worlds and save the girl." Albus smiled at Harry and Snapdragon – who snuggled up to her father – in turns.

"Harry," the old wizard said when the boy showed no sign of understanding, "Snapdragon is in a way your sister, this is why you could use her wand and she yours. So far we weren´t sure whether magic would work for you as for normal siblings, but obviously it does."

"My sister?" Harry asked in disbelief. His facial expression changed from astonishment to anger within mere moments. "I have a sister? You kept her here at Hogwarts and pampered her all the time while I was with my Aunt and slept under the stairs?" He glared at the two wizards angrily.

"Harry," Albus said gently and tried to lay a calming hand on the boy´s shoulder, but the child wouldn´t have it. "Your aunt´s presence was necessary to protect you. That´s why you were placed there."

"And what about her?" Harry looked at the two wizards defiantly. "Who protected her?"

"I did," Severus said as calmly and gently as he could. "She´s of my blood."

"I see!" shouted Harry. "She´s your child and I´m James Potter´s! Why care about me?"

"You misunderstand me, Harry," the potions master said firmly. "My other self in that other world died to protect Snapdragon. That´s why my blood gives her protection. James Potter was the last of his family, that´s why you had to go to your aunt. Your only living relative."

"You said Snapdragon is my sister!"

"Do you expect me to put the burden of protecting the Boy Who Lived on the shoulders of a five year old?" Severus asked angrily. "Certainly not! You selfish little boy!"

This was too much for Harry. He shrank back in his armchair and started to sob. He pulled his legs up onto the seat and curled down into a tiny, trembling ball.

Snapdragon got up from her seat beside her father without a second thought and went over to the armchair where Harry was shaking with sobs. She climbed into the chair beside him – how did she fit in there? Albus? – and wrapped the boy in a hug. "You are here now, Harry. We know now that you will be protected by my blood. You don´t have to go back. – He hasn´t, has he, Albus?"

The girl looked at her godfather pleadingly and Harry´s whimpers stopped as the boy held his breath to hear the headmaster´s answer.

"It´s not that easy, my dear child." Albus said hesitantly. "The Dursleys are Harry´s guardians by law. We can´t just take him from them."

"They won´t care," hiccuped the boy.

"The second thing is that by keeping him here all the time, we´d put you in danger, Snapdragon."

"Why," asked the redhead. "Dad protects me and if Harry is near me he´d protect him in the process. I don´t have to do anything but be there."

"That´s right," admitted Albus, "but if certain people think that you´re close to the Boy Who Lived... it´s too risky."

"I won´t allow that," Dad said firmly.

"But Dad!"

"Don´t you make puppy eyes at me, young lady," the potions master said sternly. "I will not put you in danger. This won´t be discussed."

"Oh yes," hissed Snapdragon, "how very convenient. You pulled your daughter out of the universe where she´s in danger. I was the Girl Who Lived there. I was in as much danger as Harry. It´s easy to forget that I was born to the same destiny as he. You can´t be seriously thinking to let him carry the burden alone, Dad. What if it was the other way round? Wouldn´t you want me to have help when I had stayed in my own world?"

Harry wiped his face with his palms. "I don´t want to place Snapdragon in danger," he piped.

Severus watched the two children pensively. His own daughter, with her vivid red hair, glowing cheeks and sparkling eyes and James Potter´s son, by a head smaller than the girl, unruly hair and tearstained face. Lily´s children. "We have to find a way to help Harry without giving away your true relations."

"We don´t have to find a solution now," said the headmaster. "Nobody expects Harry to go anywhere before Christmas. We´ll think about something until then." He offered Harry a handkerchief embroidered in red and gold.

"Return to Gryffindor Tower. You have detention with every evening this week for breaking ´s nose. And don´t you dare brawl again, Snapdragon Snape!" Dad said sternly.

"I thought it was Minerva´s decision how to punish me," Snapdragon said cheekily.

"Minerva is free to add to your punishment." Despite his stern tone the potions master kissed his daughter´s hair before he sent her off.

Albus hugged both children good-bye. "Stay away from Draco Malfoy, will you?" the old man whispered to Snapdragon.

-x-

The two children rode the moving staircase in silence and then made their way to Gryffindor Tower. In front of the portrait of the fat lady Harry stopped Snapdragon.

"What do we tell them?"

Snapdragon grinned. "That I have detention with Filch and they let you off the hook."

Harry stepped from one foot on the other awkwardly. "So you are my sister," he whispered.

"Mmh," Snapdragon nodded. "But nobody can know."

The boy agreed with a nod and a shy smile. "What will we do if Malfoy continues teasing us?" he blushed.

The redhead shrugged. "We´ll let him. He only means trouble."

Harry sighed and mumbled the password.

Ron and Hermione were waiting for them in the Common Room. "Are you okay?" the girl asked urgently. "What happened?"

Snapdragon shrugged. "The headmaster told me off for punching Malfoy. My father was not amused. I have detention with Filch for a week."

"A week for Malfoy´s nose? Quite a bargain," grinned Ron. "Maybe I´ll consider it myself."

"No, you won´t!" Hermione cried.

Ron laughed. "I was only joking. A week with Filch! Urgh!"

Snapdragon didn´t comment any further. Argus Filch wasn´t her favourite person in Hogwarts, but he wasn´t so bad. She didn´t expect the detention to be too severe a punishment.


	11. Hagrid

**Hagrid**

Snapdragon spent her week of detention scrubbing the floors of the library, the trophy room and the hospital wing without magic. The caretaker was less friendly than in the past and Snapdragon had a feeling that he had been instructed to make her punishment not too easy for her.

Cleaning the floors wasn´t the worst though as Harry, Ron and Hermione awaited her with some sweets in the Common Room every evening. Hermione also helped her with her homework or Snapdragon wouldn´t have been able to finish her assignments in time.

Worst of all was Draco Malfoy. The blond kept teasing Snapdragon and Harry knowing only too well that neither of them was going to do anything about it. He also called Snapdragon "the brawler" and the Slytherins copied him readily. The girl was hurt. All Slytherins but the first years had known her for at least a year as their head of house´s daughter and she had considered many of them friends.

The only bright spot were potions lessons. Despite the fact that it was a Gryffindor/Slytherin subject, it was a quiet one. Malfoy wasn´t stupid enough to do anything in front of Dad and the Gryffindor quartet enjoyed the atmosphere of concentration and learning.

Snapdragon had heard most of the first year lessons before and Hermione and Harry, who were hard working and eager to learn, were equally good at the subject. Ron had more trouble to follow, but with the help of his friends he soon developed decent skills.

It was somehow strange to call Dad "Professor Snape" especially as he smirked at her every time she stumbled over the words, but Snapdragon managed.

Malfoy glared at the Gryffindors angrily, but neither he nor his cronies dared to act during the lessons. He didn´t have any inhibitions after the lessons.

"Well, well, well," the blond drawled on his way upstairs to lunch, "that was really cute how our young couple bent over that cauldron together. How does it feel, Potter, to be so near and not be able to kiss her in front of her father?"

"How does it feel to be a stupid git and not be able to do anything about it?" Harry retaliated, imitating Malfoy´s tone.

"And how does it feel to have your nose broken?" Snapdragon asked sweetly.

"You really like it rough, Potter, don´t you?" Malfoy snickered.

Snapdragon lunged at the blond, but Hermione and Ron caught her. "He´s not worth it, Snapdragon!" Hermione whispered urgently.

"Quite the wildcat, aren´t we, Snape?" the Slytherin smirked and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, snickered.

"So courageous, protected by the teachers, Malfoy," Snapdragon teased back.

"I don´t need the teachers," drawled the blond. "I can handle your alikes anytime myself."

The redhead smirked. "It´s easy talking when you don´t need to prove it."

"I can prove it anytime and anywhere," grinned Malfoy, "what about at midnight in the trophy room? A wizards´ duel? I´ll teach you respect."

"Okay," Snapdragon replied coolly.

"Harry and I will be her seconds," said Ron in a firm voice.

"Mine will be Crabbe and Goyle," the Slytherin pointed at the two boys lazily. "Do you want to bring Miss Bushy-head? If yes, I´ll ask Pansy to come."

"I´ll be there," hissed Hermione.

"Wow, Hermione," said Harry five minutes later when they were tucking into lunch. "I never thought you´d agree to come."

"This scum wants to fight a girl!" Hermione pointed out. "I have to do something about him!"

"Snapdragon will give him a hiding," Harry replied confidently. "Malfoy is no match for her."

"But think of the trouble she will be in if we get caught!" Despite her planning to come along Hermione didn´t sound sure the whole thing was a good idea.

"If she´s caught, so will we and we´ll all be in trouble," Ron pointed out.

"Do you think they´d expel us?" the bushy haired girl asked fearfully.

"I don´t think so," said Snapdragon, "but we´d better be careful anyway. No need to lose points because of Malfoy."

-x-

The Gryffindor Four tiptoed out of the Common Room half an hour before midnight. They moved along the corridors stealthily. Snapdragon led the way as she knew the castle best, but even the redhead had to admit the whole thing was scary. She had never roamed the school by night before as her father had made sure she was tucked safely into her bed long before the students´ curfew.

The group reached the trophy room at ten to midnight. They checked the whole room diligently to prevent the Slytherins from surprising them from an ambush, but nobody was there yet. They waited in silence for half an hour until they admitted to themselves that Malfoy had had them on and wasn´t going to come.

"Stupid git," murmured Ron as they set out for the Gryffindor tower. "What was the point in this?"

Hermione raised her hand and motioned them to listen. The sound of footsteps echoed around the corner.

"Look out, my dear," they heard the caretaker whisper. "There are students out of bed. Help me catch them."

"Malfoy sold us to Filch!" whispered Harry. "Run!"

He didn´t have to tell them twice. The four raced back where they had come from, but turned around a corner before they reached the trophy room. They heard Filch shout behind them and tried to run even faster.

They were stopped by a locked door.

"That´s it," panted Ron. "We´re trapped."

"Oh, step aside," hissed Hermione and pointed her wand at the lock. "Alohomora!" There was a clicking sound and the door opened a crack.

The boys pulled the door open and the four slipped inside. For a brief moment Snapdragon enjoyed a feel of relief, but only until she saw what had been locked away in the room. A huge three-headed dog stared down at the four first years with six evilly glittering eyes.

"Out! Now!" gasped the redhead.

Her friends obeyed immediately. Filch was preferable over this monster any day. They ran back to Gryffindor tower without a stop or worrying about the caretaker.

"Why do they keep that monster in a school?" panted Harry when they had reached the safety of their Common Room.

"Why didn´t you warn us?" asked Ron.

"I had no idea!" said Snapdragon defensively.

"Didn´t you look properly?" asked Hermione with an air of superiority. "This dog was standing on a trap door. It is guarding something."

"Hmmm," said Harry. "Maybe that parcel Hagrid brought back from Gringott´s in August. He was very secretive about it."

"What can it be?" everybody looked at Snapdragon expectantly.

The girl shook her head and sent her long locks dangling. "No idea. It seems Albus has some secrets." She smiled apologetically, knowing that she herself was probably one of the headmaster´s biggest secrets to start with.

-x-

"Hagrid invited me for tea," said Harry at Friday´s lunch. They had only one lesson left (History of Magic, how boring!) before the weekend. "He said I can bring friends. Do you guys want to come?"

Hermione and Ron nodded enthusiastically.

Snapdragon gave it a thought. "I´m supposed to visit Dad on the weekend, but I guess it´s alright, if I tell him before I go. I´ll do it now, so you don´t have to wait for me after the lesson. I´ll meet you in class."

She slipped out of her seat and hurried down to the dungeons, where she knew her father to prepare his afternoon lessons. She knocked at the classroom door and was asked in after a short pause.

"Sir, I was wondering whether I could talk to you for a moment," she asked politely.

"Of course, Miss Snape," Dad replied with a mischieveous grin. "Come in and close the door."

The girl obeyed and the moment the door closed on her Dad spread his arms to catch her. Snapdragon rushed up to the teacher´s table where he stood waiting and launched herself into a tight embrace.

"What´s bothering you my girl?" Dad whispered into the soft red locks. "Your weekend starts in two hours. What´s so important that it can´t wait until then?"

Snapdragon disentangled herself from her father´s arms to look into his eyes. "I came to tell you that Hagrid invited a group of Gryffindors for tea. I won´t go if you don´t want me to."

The potions master laughed. "Go and visit Hagrid, my dear. I don´t expect you to abandon your friends for all weekend in favour of your old father. You can visit for as long as you like, but you don´t have to spend all weekend with me."

"Thank you, Dad," the girl beamed. "Is it okay if I come tomorrow?"

"Of course, and then you can tell me everything about your first school week." Dad smiled. "Now run along or you´ll be late for your afternoon lesson."

"Bye, Dad," Snapdragon beamed and pecked the potions master on the cheek before she hurried upstairs to another boring afternoon with professor Binns.

-x-

History of Magic couldn´t pass fast enough for the redhead and her friends. They rushed out of the classroom ahead of their fellow students, downstairs and out of the main doors of Hogwarts. Snapdragon lead the way down to Hagrid´s hut.

Harry knocked and they were asked inside. Snapdragon and Harry sat on one of Hagrid´s huge armchairs and Ron and Hermione shared the other. Hagrid bustled about the hut making tea and handing out plates. He placed a platter of fruit cake on the table before he poured tea.

"I´m quite glad you found so many friends in your first week," smiled the half-giant as he sat down on his bed, which he also used for a sofa.

"Uhm, did I bring too many?" Harry asked in a small voice.

"Not at all," boomed the gameskeeper. "So, whom have we here. Ah, another Weasley. I knew your brother Charlie, he was great with animals. Great. How´s he doing?"

"He works as a dragon keeper in Romania," Ron answered proudly.

"And a good choice of carreer! I´m sure he´s wonderful at it. Ah, dragons!" Hagrid smiled fondly. "And this is?"

"Hermione Granger, Sir." The brown-haired girl introduced herself nervously.

"Don´t call me Sir, it´s Hagrid." Beamed the man. "I´m pleased to meet you. Ah, and finally, Miss Snape. I heard that you´ve grown quite fond of her, Harry. And you have every reason to be. Quite a beauty she is." Hagrid winked at Harry and the boy blushed. Snapdragon glared at the gameskeeper angrily.

"Oh, aren´t the rumours true?" the half-giant asked innocently.

"No, they´re not," Harry muttered defiantly.

"Malfoy started them after we exchanged wands in Charms and they worked." Snapdragon explained.

"Well, that´s really rare," said Hagrid. "It could mean that you´re meant for each other. It´s amazing, Harry. Not many are so lucky to meet their other half so early in their life."

Snapdragon could feel that she was now blushing as much as her half-brother.

Hagrid noticed the awkwardness of the moment and changed topic. "So, how about your lessons, Harry? Anything you like particularly?"

"I like Charms," said Harry. "And Potions is very interesting. And Defence Lessons could be really cool once we move to more complex subjects." So far professor Quirrel had only lectured them about which forms of Dark Magic there were (spells, potions, creatures). They hadn´t really seen or done anything.

"A wise choice, Harry," cried Hagrid. "Charms and Potions are the basic of magic and Defence can come in handy. And you?" He looked at the others curiously.

Everybody agreed that Potions was an interesting subject and Snapdragon confirmed it being her favourite. Hermione prefered Transfiguration over Charms.

"Hagrid," Harry said after a little while, "do you know about a three-headed dog up in the school?"

"What do you know about Fluffy?" Hagrid asked suspiciously.

"Fluffy?" Snapdragon asked in disbelief.

"Who´d call that monster Fluffy?" Ron joined in.

"Well, he needs a name and he is my dog. Fluffy fits him quite well," the gameskeeper grumbled.

"Your dog, Hagrid? Why didn´t I see it before?" Snapdragon asked curiously.

"You don´t expect me to show a young lady a three-headed dog, do you?" Hagrid growled goodnaturedly. "And besides, your father´d have my hide if I did."

Snapdragon huffed, but couldn´t deny that Hagrid was right. Dad wouldn´t want her to face a three-headed dog, no matter how old she was.

Shortly later they left in a good mood. And as they didn´t run into Malfoy on their way to dinner, it stayed that way.


	12. Hogsmeade

**Hogsmeade**

Snapdragon slipped downstairs to the dungeons after sunrise the next morning. Dad had breakfast prepared in their private quarters and the girl indulged in buttered toast with her favourite strawberry jam.

"So," laughed Dad, "how was your week. I take it they don´t feed you at the Gryffindor table?"

Snapdragon joined the goodnatured laughter. She had jam on her left cheek. "They feed me well enough, but you will be surprised that the house elves put more effort into the Slytherin Head of House´s family´s breakfast than into the common Gryffindor student´s. There is strawberry jam for the Gryffindors, but it doesn´t have those fruit chunks this has." She pointed at the jar.

"Do you want me to talk to the house elves?" Dad asked.

"Don´t you dare! You´ll start a rebellion if the students become aware that they´re not given the best stuff."

Dad laughed again. "We don´t want to risk that. So, how was your week, Sweetheart?"

Snapdragon chewed her toast and swallowed before she answered. "Good, Dad. I had problems with casting spells at the beginning of the week. You know, to determine how much magic to use to produce a first year result, but it´s okay now. – Did you do anything about it?"

"Actually I felt you struggle and I experimented on how much control to give you. So the access you have now is sufficient?"

Snapdragon nodded. "It´s alright. – I had some trouble with Draco Malfoy, but you know that. Did you and Albus think about Harry´s situation? He´s not happy with his aunt Petunia. Can´t he stay here with you and me?"

"It´s amazing how you care for him when you met him only a week ago," the potions master said solemnly.

"He´s the closest I´ll ever have for a brother. And I can´t help thinking what it would have been like to stay with my aunt for years and then learn that there had been a different place to go to. And a person who was there all the time and she had a better life than me."

"You´re a very kind person, Snapdragon. So very much like your mother."

-x-

Snapdragon and her fellow Gryffindors settled into a routine within the first few weeks of term. The girl went to see her father on weekends, the evenings were spent with homework. Hermione and Harry, who had been brought up by muggles, were eager for every bit of information they could get on magic and Snapdragon shared their enthusiasm. She knew what magic could do and now she was finally allowed to learn what she wanted to know. Ron joined his friends a bit reluctantly, but without complaint.

After a month of settling in, a lesson which Snapdragon had been waiting for, was announced: the flying lesson. Dad insisted on her staying away from her broomstick as other first years weren´t allowed one either and the girl saw his point, but it was not easy despite her understanding the rule. Snapdragon loved flying and she hadn´t been airborne for more than four weeks!

The fact that flying was another Gryffindor/Slytherin class was a little setback, but the redhead wanted to fly so desperately that she was ready to even put up with Malfoy.

The latter and his sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle, were already there when the Gryffindor quartet arrived and they had already chosen their broomsticks from the pile beside Madam Hooch.

"Good morning, Snapdragon," Madam Hooch returned the girl´s greeting goodnaturedly. She watched as the girl and an equally redheaded boy helped their friends search for the best brooms left. The school brooms were neither new nor really good, but maintaining a magical school was expensive and flying was – though obligatory – not considered one of the important subjects, so only now and then some of the Hogwarts funds went into replacing old brooms.

The four Gryffindors went to their housemates and when the two houses had formed two lines, Madam Hooch started her lecture.

There were some children who obviously had used a broom before; Snapdragon, Draco Malfoy and Ron Weasley among them. Others weren´t even familiar with the idea of riding one. It was easy to tell who was muggle-born or at least muggle-raised.

When everybody had successfully mounted their brooms, the instructor blew her whistle and the students kicked off.

The experienced flyers rose some feet in the air as requested, but some of the beginners kicked off too hard in fear of not rising at all. Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, kind Gryffindor, outdid them all by rising and rising without a stop. Some of the Slytherins laughed, a girl from Gryffindor shrieked fearfully.

Neville lost his grip on the broom and fell. Madam Hooch hurried to the moaning form on the ground while the students craned their necks for a good look of the boy – the Gryffindors worrying and the Slytherins smirking. Snapdragon wondered what was wrong with these children. She had always found her father´s house amiable, but Draco Malfoy and his friends were simply malicious. Was it because she had so far been considered a part of the house? Had she been treated differently because of her name?

Madam Hooch helped Neville to his feet and announced that she was going to bring him to the hospital wing, not before reminding the students they were supposed to stay grounded for the time of her absence.

"Did you see his face?" Draco Malfoy drawled as soon as the teacher was out of earshot. "I thought the fat idiot was going to wet himself. He´s a disgrace to the name of wizard. Afraid of flying!" He snorted.

The Gryffindors glared at the blond angrily, but stayed silent. They might be the house of foolhardy bravery, but it took more than Draco Malfoy´s sorry excuse for a bait to lure them into a fight. The sneaky little git simply wasn´t worth the trouble.

The Slytherin wasn´t stopped so easily, though. "Oh, look, he lost something!" Draco bowed and picked up a nut-sized object. With a gasp Snapdragon recognized Neville´s remembrall, one of his more prized possessions and brand-new.

"Give that back, Malfoy!" It was Harry who lost his temper.

"I think not," replied the blond boy, his eyes glinting with malice. "I think I´m going to leave it on the roof for him. If he ever learns to fly, he can get it." He mounted his broom and ascended to the roof. Draco was indeed a decent flyer, Snapdragon had to admit.

Harry, a true Gryffindor followed him up into the air. Snapdragon was just going to kick off herself in order to help her brother, but then she didn´t. Harry may not have flown before, but he certainly was a natural.

"Give it back!" Harry repeated angrily.

Malfoy looked somewhat startled. Obviously he hadn´t thought that Harry – or anyone else – would follow him. It seemed he wasn´t ready to actually start a broom race. "Go and catch it!" he sneered at Harry and threw the remembrall with all his might. Harry zoomed after the small ball like a missile.

Malfoy landed and joined his fellow students in gaping after the small Gryffindor.

Harry overtook the remembrall, performed a neckbreaking turn and caught it before it could collide with the castle walls. Then he returned to his waiting housemates.

"Well done, Harry!" cried Seamus Finnegan.

"This will teach him, mate," Ron joined in.

Snapdragon cheered along with her housemates, but all the while kept an eye on the castle doors. Rulebreaking rarely went unnoticed at Hogwarts.

"Harry Potter!" It was their Head of House who had caught him, "follow me!" Harry obeyed with his head hanging. Snapdragon wondered whether she should come, too, to tell Minerva about Malfoy´s teasing, but then she decided that this was Harry´s battle to fight. Certainly they weren´t going to expel the Boy Who Lived.

"So much for saint Potter," Malfoy sneered as soon as the doors had closed on the teacher and the hunched form of Harry.

"Shut up," hissed Snapdragon, "or, I swear, I will break your nose again!"

"No, I will do it," said Ron. "I haven´t broken any rule so far. I will be in less trouble."

Several other Gryffindors volunteered and Malfoy hurried to hide behind Crabbe and Goyle.

-x-

When the Gryffindors returned to the castle – professor Vector came to tell them that the lesson was postponed a week – they found Harry in the Common Room, absorbed in a conversation with the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, Oliver Wood. Ron, Hermione and Snapdragon sat with them to ask Harry whether he had been punished.

"He´s our new seeker," whispered Wood. "This information can not leave this room. We don´t want to give up our moment of surprise."

The three promised to keep the secret and left for the dorms to get their books for the afternoon lessons and leave Harry with Oliver to be informed about the game. It was double potions after lunch and Snapdragon was looking forward to seeing Dad.

-x-

The next three weeks were busy. Snapdragon, Ron and Hermione had quickly become a part of the Gryffindor conspiratory around their new, secret seeker. Harry had Quidditch training with Oliver nearly every evening, nevertheless he needed to do his homework. It was his three friends who helped. When the boy returned from a training session, he always found the books he needed prepared on a small table in a quiet corner of the common room.

Snapdragon spent one day every weekend with Dad, mostly Sundays. They played games, Dad told stories and the girl told about her week – as far as it didn´t mean giving away Gryffindor secrets to the Slytherin head of house.

It was the last Saturday before Halloween, when Dad stepped to the Gryffindor table at breakfast.

"Today´s a Hogsmeade outing. I´m on proctoring duty and I have the headmaster´s permission to take a certain young lady out. You may bring one friend."

Snapdragon´s face lightened when she heared "Hogsmeade", but the smile died on her lips when she heard that she could only bring one friend.

"But Dad!" she started to plead.

Severus shot her a glance he usually reserved for his worst students. "The offer is one. Take it or stay at the castle." He turned in a flourish of robes and stalked up to the teachers´ table.

Snapdragon pouted.

"He can´t take us all," said Hermione soothingly. "He´s on duty!"

"I know," replied the redhead, "but I don´t like to choose among my friends."

"Don´t choose me," Ron offered generously. "I have money for only some chocolate frogs and one of my brothers can buy them for me."

Snapdragon smiled, grateful that one decision was taken from her. "I think I´ll take Harry," she offered. The small boy´s eyes gleamed with anticipation. "I can take you with me next time, Hermione."

"It´s okay," said the other girl. "I need to study anyway."

"So, I´m taking you Harry, if you want to." Snapdragon smiled at her brother.

"Of course I want to see Hogsmeade!" cried the boy. Then he hung his head. "But I don´t have any money to buy anything."

"Nor have I," Snapdragon informed him. "It´s about looking at all those things, not about buying."

After breakfast Snapdragon and Harry met Dad (professor Snape for Harry) near the gates. Dad smiled and hugged the girl. He shook Harry´s hand in greeting and off they were.

"I´m not surprised that you took Harry with you," grinned Dad.

"Of course! He´s my brother!" Snapdragon pointed out.

Harry stopped short. "You don´t have to take me with you only because of that. You can take Hermione, if you´d rather go with her."

"Don´t be stupid," cried Snapdragon. "I never had a brother and I want to enjoy having one. Do you have any siblings? Other than me, I mean."

Harry shook his head. "Only a cousin. Dudley."

"Bah," laughed Snapdragon. "Aunt Petunia had a weird taste in both universes. I had a cousin named Dudley, too."

The two children walked several steps in front of the potions master. The gravel on the road to Hogsmeade – it was a pleasant fifteen minute walk from the castle to the village, mostly through the fringes of the forbidden forest – crunched under their shoes. Severus wondered how naturally the two walked side by side. They had an air of familiarity about them which was astounding given the short time they had known each other.

"Isn´t it strange, to be in a different universe?" Harry asked after a little while.

"There´s hardly a difference," Snapdragon pointed out. "I was a little child when I came here. Dad says it seems that many people from this universe have a counterpart in mine, but I only met three in both worlds."

"Professors Snape and Dumbledore?" the boy asked. When his guess was affirmed, he added "And whom else?"

"Malfoy´s father. He tried to kill me in my world. That was why Dad pulled me through the mirror."

"Why would somebody try and kill a little girl?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"Because I did what I did. What you did. I vanquished his lord the night my parents died."

"Hagrid said I survived an attack," admitted Harry. "He didn´t say I vanquished anybody. I wouldn´t know how."

Severus decided that this conversation had gone too far already. But before he could interrupt, Snapdragon answered. "It was prophesised. I am the only one who has the power to kill the evil wizard. The only one but you."

Harry stopped short. "You mean, I have to kill him?" He jumped when Severus nearly ran into him. "Hagrid says he´s probably not dead."

The potions master made a quick decision. "Mr. Potter, we´d better not discuss this out here. I promise to answer your questions when we return to the castle."

The boy trembled. "Does it mean I have to be a killer? I can´t be a killer!" There was a dispair in the child´s voice equal to that Severus had felt the night Lily died.

"Potter," the potions master started. When the boy didn´t react, he added "Harry," in a more gentle tone. He knelt by the child and held his hands. "You´re scared and I understand that you are. Who wouldn´t be? But nothing is as bad as it seems on first sight. Now, why don´t you calm down and enjoy your day in Hogsmeade. We can talk in the evening."

The boy bit back the tears which were threatening to fall and nodded shyly.

Severus rubbed his arm soothingly before he got up from his kneeling position and dusted off his robes. Snapdragon took Harry´s hand and pulled. The boy fell into a trot beside her obediently. Severus sighed his relief to have averted a drama on a road where the Hogwarts students were to come by any moment. He followed the children to the village and took them to Honeyduke´s first.

-x-

The day at the magical village was nice despite the fact that Severus was actually on duty. After half an hour at Honeyduke´s – he bought a small bag of sweets for each child and Potter was stammering his thanks until they stepped out on the street – the potions master took the two to Zonko´s, which was a sly move. The joke shop was crowded with teenagers by the time they got there. The teacher´s presence thwarted the most crude purchases and having Snapdragon and Potter with him, who were looking at the jokes on offers in wonder, made it impossible for the frustrated shop assistants to ask him to leave. Today he was a costumer, or at least the bank of two other costumers.

It took nearly two hours until the children had looked their fill and in the end they left with a small bottle of fading ink for three knuts each. Again Potter looked as if the small gift was the most marvellous thing he had ever received, but then Severus remembered how he had seen the other Petunia act with Snapdragon and he marbled that the ink-bottle really may have been Potter´s first gift ever.

He looked at his little girl, who had pocketed her ink with a quick thank-you. She was taller than Potter and she looked healthier and happier. With a jolt of guilt Severus remembered the girl´s question the other day. What if it had been the other way round? Would he want his little girl to grow up with an aunt and uncle who loved their own son, but not her? Or would he prefer her to find a good soul, who cared for her, even if she was their enemy´s child?

Severus took the children to the Three Broomsticks for lunch and as a first step of caring for James Potter´s son bought them huge chunks of chocolate cakes for dessert. The boy obviously was torn between being eager for the treat and a bad conscience because Severus paid so much for him.

"Come on," Severus nudged the boy, "we have to go to the post office and you haven´t seen Gladrags yet."

The owlery at the post office was impressive. Severus knew the effect it had on children seeing it for the first time as he had watched numerous third years aah and ooh there over the years. Harry Potter was no exception. He looked at the various birds open mouthed and Snapdragon explained what the different owls were for patiently. Maybe Potter spending some time with his vivid half-sister wasn´t a bad idea. The boy was muggle-raised after all and a bit of information on magical everyday business couldn´t harm.

Gladrags was Severus´ least favourite stop at Hogsmeade. In the morning he had lost a toss to a smirking Filius Flitwick to shoo the female students out of the clothes shop when it was time to return to the castle. Had he been alone, this wouldn´t have presented a problem to the potions master, but as it was, he had an eleven year old woman with him, who was determined to make the best of a visit to the robes shop. Although Severus made it clear before they entered the shop that he was not going to buy anything for Snapdragon, he found himself and Harry Potter dragged to the girls´ department and soon they stood obediently waiting until the redhead was ready to model light green robes for them.

"I said I´m not going to buy you new robes," Severus growled.

"And I," said Snapdragon, turning in front of the mirror, "never said I wanted to buy them. I want to see how I look in them."

At last the potions master asked Harry to stay with Snapdragon while he reminded the present students of the time. When all students were gone, he set to the task of getting his daughter out of the shop. It cost him a yellow silk scarf, but at least no robes, so the potions master felt victorious despite the unplanned purchase.

When they returned to the castle, Harry turned towards the Great Hall where dinner was already served, but Severus stopped him. "Why don´t you eat with us? I thought you wanted to talk," he asked softly.

The boy nodded and followed Snapdragon down to the dungeons.

They ate in silence, roast chicken and potatoes. Severus was trying to determine how to tell Potter about the Dark Lord and the boy paralyzed with a mixture of curiousity and fear. Snapdragon was a silent observer.

"I guess this would be easier if you asked questions," Severus said when they had finished their dessert, a light caramel cream.

"So, is it true that the wizard who killed my parents is still alive?" Potter asked after a short time of thinking.

Severus looked straight into the boy´s green eyes. "You started with the most difficult question. The honest answer is that we don´t know for sure, but we think so."

"We is you and the headmaster."

The potions master nodded.

"Do I really have to kill him? Am I the only one who can do it?"

"There was a prophecy. It says that you´re the one with the power to vanquish him."

"How do you know it´s me?"

"It said he was going to mark you." Severus pointed at the boy´s forehead and Snapdragon pushed up her fringe to show her own scar.

The boy looked at the lightning bolt scar on the girl´s forehead curiously. "It´s just like mine!" he whispered.

"We told you I was the Girl Who Lived in that other world."

"Why did my mum marry different men in different worlds?" Potter asked. He frowned.

Severus stiffled a sigh. This wasn´t going a direction he liked. "I don´t know what happened in the other world," he admitted in a low voice. "But here, we both, James Potter and I, loved Lily Evans while we were at school. I made a mistake and she chose Potter over me. We can only guess what happened in the other world. Perhaps the other Severus Snape didn´t make that mistake. Or the other Lily Evans was more forgiving. There´s no way to know."

Harry Potter looked down at his empty plate. "I guess I´ll need some time to get used to the thought that I have to become a killer." Like in the morning, the boy sounded desperate.

"Harry," Severus said gently. "It´s not something you have to do tomorrow. Hopefully, the day is far in the future. And you won´t have to face it alone. There are people who will help you. I will help you."

Snapdragon took her brother´s hand in hers reassuringly. Harry looked into his sister´s eyes. "But in the end it will be me who has to kill him."


	13. Halloween

**Halloween**

Barely a week later, the desperate little boy had transformed into a merry first year again. It was Halloween and the whole school was assembled in the Great Hall for the traditional Halloween feast. Albus, Hagrid and Filius had outdone themselves with the decorations. Albus had contributed thousands of floating candles. Hagrid had come up with giant jack-o´-lanterns and clouds of life bats and Filius had charmed the windows to show scary pictures.

The children were indulging in various sweets while the teachers were enjoying goblets of wine. Halloween was one of the more quieter evenings for the staff as the students were too absorbed in the feast to play pranks.

The quiet was broken by Quirinus Quirrel, who came running into the hall shouting "Troll! Troll in the dungeons!" before he fainted.

The students panicked, but the headmaster was able to calm them down and sent them to their houses to continue the feast there.

The Gryffindors were just climbing the stairs to the second floor, when Harry snickered. "What?" asked Ron curiously.

"I just thought," giggled the smaller boy, "that if we´re lucky the troll will eat Malfoy."

"You´re right," said Hermione, stopping short. "The troll must be near the Slytherin rooms. I hope your father is safe."

Snapdragon laughed. "It takes more than a troll to scare Dad. But I´d like to see the troll eat Malfoy. Come, let´s stay behind and have a look." She pulled Hermione to the nearest girls´ bathroom by her sleeve and the two boys followed.

Going into the bathroom turned out to be a bad idea. The troll had left the dungeons and was in the lavatory, though obviously not to use it as it swung its club and grunted angrily.

"Hide!" shrieked Hermione. The four Gryffindors parted and each sought out a hiding place. Snapdragon and Hermione scrambled under the sinks, while Harry and Ron squeezed into one of the cubicles.

The troll, a huge, stinking creature whose most striking feature was its big club, spotted the girls first and went after them. Snapdragon and Hermione tried to get away, but the troll swung his club again and again and more than once the girls escaped only narrowly as they had not only to avoid the troll´s weapon but also the flying fragments of the destroyed sinks.

"Help!" shrieked Hermione. "Do something!"

Snapdragon drew her wand but the striking troll nearly hit her and she couldn´t aim well enough. Then Harry was there. He was hitting the troll with his fists. Snapdragon smiled. Harry truely was a Gryffindor. The only problem was that he thought like a muggle.

"Use your wand!" the redhead shouted. Her advice was followed by the other redhead present.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Ron levitated the club above the troll and the creature stopped in its tracks, dumbfounded.

Snapdragon aimed at the club and countered Ron´s spell. The club fell and hit the troll on the head. The creature collapsed in a cloud of dust and Harry had difficulties not to be hit by the falling troll.

"Let´s get out of here," panted Hermione and nobody objected. They were barely around the corner when they heard the teachers arrive. Carefully the Gryffindor four peeked around the corner to see who it was.

"It seems that your dad is hurt," said Ron.

Snapdragon tried to see better. Really, Dad was limping. When they returned to Gryffindor tower, Snapdragon was sick with worry.

-x-

Snapdragon rushed down to the dungeons before breakfast. She had to know whether her father was well, and there was no time to check on him later because of Harry's first quidditch match for Gryffindor.

Dad sat in front of the fireplace. His left leg sat on the coffee table and he was trying to apply a salve from a big stone jar on wounds that looked like bites.

Snapdragon was by the man´s side in an instant. "Let me do that," she said sternly. "did you wash the wounds properly?"

Dad looked surprised to see her. "What are you doing here? Aren´t you supposed to be at the Great Hall for breakfast?"

"I´m checking whether the rumours are true. Whether my father is hurt. – Did you clean these wounds properly?"

"Of course I did." Dad looked offended. "I´m not stupid."

Snapdragon dipped her fingers in the salve and started applying it to the leg. Dad hissed when she touched one of the wounds.

"Are these bites?" Snapdragon asked as casually as she could manage.

Dad made a little noise, but she couldn´t tell whether it was meant to be yes or no.

After she had put enough salve on the leg, Snapdragon dressed the wounds. "When will the bandages need to be changed? I´ll do it. You won´t be able to do it properly when you have to bend down."

"Tomorrow. Thank you, child." Dad looked better now that his injuries were taken care of. "Go to breakfast now."

"Will you come?"

Dad nodded and got up. They walked upstairs together, slowly. Dad accompanied Snapdragon to her seat at the Gryffindor table.

"Good luck, Harry," he smiled at the boy before he proceeded to the teachers´ table. "You will need it, seeing that your opponent is Slytherin."

-x-

Snapdragon, Ron and Hermione got themselves seats in the first row of the Gryffindor stands. Hagrid, wearing a Gryffindor scarf, joined them to cheer the team on.

"I hope Harry will do well," said Hermione nervously.

"Of course he will," boomed Hagrid happily. "It´s in his blood. His Dad played for Gryffindor, too. – Woohooo!"

The Gryffindor team was a group of red blurs. Harry was the smallest, but by no means the slowest. He circled the pitch twice. The Slytherin seeker rose to the bait and took up the challenge. The two seekers raced around the pitch and Harry left the older – and heavier – Slytherin behind easily.

"I want a nice, clean Quidditch!" shouted the referee, Madame Hooch. She threw the quaffle in the air and off they were.

The crowd cheered the players on. It was a fast game and each team fought with determination. The seekers hovered over the game and searched for the snitch. The Gryffindor chasers acted as a unity and soon the house of the lions was in the lead by several goals.

Snapdragon and Hermione cheered the chasers on, Ron supported his brothers at the top of his lungs. Fred and George were the Gryffindor beaters and they were good. Their bludgers were well aimed and hit their targets more often than the Slytherins´.

"Oh my God!" Hagrid suddenly pointed up at Harry. The seeker´s broom was bucking mulishly and Harry had difficulties to stay on it.

"It´s cursed!" cried Hermione. "I read everything about curses. You need eyecontact. Look for someone staring at Harry."

Snapdragon was the first to spot the culprit. "Over there! Professor Quirrell is staring at him!"

"Uhm, don´t misunderstand me, Snapdragon, but so is your dad," said Ron.

"He´s casting a countercurse," snapped the redhead. "It has to be Quirrell."

Hermione was on her feet. "I´ll take care of it!" she cried back over her shoulder and off she was. A little later there was a commotion in the teachers´ box. Somebody had laid fire to professor Quirrell´s cloak. Both, Dad and Quirrell, lost eyecontact and Harry´s broomstick stopped bucking. The boy climbed back on and a little later he was a blur of red.

The chase was a short one. Harry was not only fast enough to catch the snitch, but rather too fast. He nearly swallowed the small golden ball. But how he caught it didn´t matter in the end. Gryffindor had caught the snitch and won. The stands errupted with cheers and Harry was carried back to Gryffindor Tower on his housemates´ shoulders.

-x-

The Gryffindor four came to breakfast quite late the next day. The celebrations in the Common Room had been long and exhausting. They looked over at the Slytherin table to enjoy a good view of a very disgruntled Draco Malfoy from time to time and giggled.

"You´re not mocking my house, are you?" a low voice came from behind the group. Snapdragon snickered. It was amazing how Dad managed to sound so threatening. If she hadn´t known him, she´d have been frightened.

"We gave them a good hiding," the girl grinned as she turned around. "Harry gave them a good hiding."

"That he did," growled Dad.

Harry ducked as if expecting to be hit, but the twinkle in Dad´s eyes gave him away and the boy relaxed.

"Are you all right, Potter?" Dad asked with concern. "You weren´t hurt when the broom tried to throw you off?"

"No, Sir. Thanks for saving me, Sir." Harry reassured the older wizard.

"You´re welcome," smiled Dad.

"About the broom," said Snapdragon. "Can we talk?" She hoped that Dad understood she meant in private.

"Why don´t you and your friends come down for a cup of hot chocolate?" asked the potions professor. "In half an hour?"

"Thanks, Dad," beamed Snapdragon. Harry smiled, too. Ron and Hermione gasped at being invited to their professor´s quarters.

Half an hour later Severus Snape carried a tray with four mugs of hot chocolate over to the sofa in front of the fireplace. Ronald Weasley stared around, Hermione Granger´s eyes were fixed to the book shelves and Harry Potter stared at the photos on the mantlepiece. Photos of a laughing, happy Snapdragon.

"So what didn´t you want to tell me in the Great Hall," the potions master asked when each child had their mug.

"We know who tried to kill Harry," Snapdragon stated without further ado. "Uncle Quirinus was cursing his broomstick."

"Quirinus Quirrell?" Dad asked in disbelief. "Are you sure?"

"You doubt it?" the redhead shot back.

"I felt the magic I was trying to counter," the potions master pointed out. "It was strong magic. I doubt Quirrell has so much power."

"But Sir," Hermione joined the conversation, "you succeeded in saving Harry exactly the moment I set fire to professor Quirrell´s cloak."

"You set fire on his cloak?" Dad asked, astonished. "You attacked a wizard you suspected of trying to commit murder that very moment? That was dangerous and therefore unbelievable stupid! What if you were right about his intentions and he´d have turned against you?"

"I didn´t think about that," admitted Hermione. "I only thought about saving Harry."

The small boy blushed.

"We have to be very careful," mused Dad. "If it was indeed Quirinus going after Harry it may be essential to your safety, Miss Granger, that he never learns it was you who foiled his plans." Hermione paled. "Still, I think you´re wrong," continued the potions master. "Quirinus Quirrell may be a bit strange, but I´ve known him to be a gentle and calm person ever since he set foot into Hogwarts. And as I said before, I don´t think he´s as powerful as the magic I felt."

Snapdragon set her mug on the coffee table. "If the person going after Harry was indeed that powerful, then wouldn´t that put you into danger?"

"I don´t think so. I´m a Hogwarts teacher and I´m supposed to act on students´ behalves. I don´t think my actions would be taken personally by anyone."

"And if you thought so," mumbled Snapdragon, "you wouldn´t tell me."


	14. Christmas Holidays

**Christmas Holidays**

November passed quickly and the next thing Snapdragon knew was that a list was put up in the Gryffindor Common Room for the students to sign up to stay over Christmas. Harry was the first to put his name on the list.

"Won´t Aunt Petunia expect you to come home?" Snapdragon asked when Harry returned to the seats the friends were sharing at the back of the room.

"They will be glad if I don´t show up," mumbled Harry.

"Oh Harry," said Hermione, "this is a horrible thing to say. Your family will miss you!"

"You don´t know my family," Harry hung his head. "They won´t mind if I stay here. As I said, they will be glad."

Snapdragon tried to change topic. She, after all, had an idea what it was like to live with the Dursleys. "Are you going home?" she asked the bushy-haired girl.

Hermione nodded. "Mum and Dad are taking my skiing. I never tried it, but it sounds fun. And you, Ron?"

"Mum and Dad are going to Romania to visit my brother Charlie. Fred, George, Percy and I will stay with Aunt Muriel. I thought about staying here first to keep Harry company, but you´ll be here, won´t you? And Aunt Muriel makes a delicious Christmas pudding. She may be an old bat, but she certainly is an amazing cook." He licked his lips and the friends shared a good-natured laugh.

"Dad," Snapdragon broached the subject that had been on her mind ever since the list was put up on her next visit to the dungeons, "can Harry stay with us over Christmas? He signed up to stay, because the Dursleys don´t really want him at home. But if he stays he´ll be all alone up at Gryffindor Tower. Please?"

"Hm," Severus Snape gave the subject a thought. "It might be possible to hide his connection to you when only few students are at Hogwarts. I have to confer with Albus before I agree, but I guess it will be okay." He fell back into his armchair as the little redhead launched herself into his arms with a delighted squeak. They hugged and soon it turned into an amiable wrestling match. Of course, Dad won for Snapdragon wouldn´t want to depress him.

"Don´t say anything before we got Albus´ permission," Dad said as he stroked his girl´s hair. "We don´t want to disappoint Harry if Albus says no."

"He won´t," Snapdragon stated confidently. "He loves Harry and he will let him stay with his family when he can."

Severus had never considered himself Harry Potter´s family, but then being the father of Harry Potter´s sister maybe made him exactly that. He sighed.

-x-

Harry Potter moved in with the Snapes for the holidays about a quarter hour after the horseless carriages had left for Hogsmeade station, carrying the entire student body but for a handful with them.

"Do come in, I won´t bite," the potions master said friendly as the boy stood in the doorway with a small bag. Snapdragon pushed Harry playfully from behind and the boy stumbled into the potions master´s sitting room. "The castle provided a room for you," Severus continued. He pointed at the door next to the bookshelf. It was in exactly the same place Iris´s had been. The potions master had not yet dared to look inside.

Snapdragon took Harry´s hand unceremoniously and dragged him to the door. "Open it!" she ordered and the smaller boy obeyed. Behind the door was not the bedroom the castle had provided for Iris, as the potions master had feared, but a nice children´s room. The walls were a very light cream colour and painted snitches were fluttering about, followed by pixies. There was a bed, a small desk and a cupboard. At the foot of the bed stood a colourful toy box.

Harry gaped at the room, openmouthed. He put his small bag – Severus wondered why the boy hadn´t brought more clothes – onto the desk and walked around the room, staring in wonder. He ran his hand over the bedspreads. When he reached the toy box, he opened it excitedly, but it was, of course, empty. The potions master thought he saw a shade of disappointment on the boy´s face, but if it had ever been there, it was gone in an instant.

"Thank you, this is wonderful!" Harry said solemnly.

"I´m glad you like it," cried Snapdragon as if she had chosen each item herself.

"You´re welcome," the potions master said solemnly for lack of an other polite remark. ´I had no hand in this, it´s what the castle made´ seemed a bit rude.

The Christmas holidays started quite enjoyable. Severus enjoyed having his daughter around all day. The Potter boy turned out to be a polite, quiet little creature. The children entertained themselves most of the time, so the potions master had the pleasure of being able to get some work for the hospital wing done and nevertheless have his little girl nearby.

Every evening Albus stopped by for a cup of tea and they played little games. Being four was an advantage for many card games and also for team games like sharades. Usually it was the two Snapes against the headmaster and Harry. Snapdragon tried to get rid of her father more than once, but Albus and Harry wouldn´t have it. The two of them were a match found in heaven and they wouldn´t give up their winning team. It was amazing how Harry interpreted the headmaster´s every crack-brained move with uncanny sureness.

"I dread to think what those relatives of yours have done to your sanity, Potter," drawled Snape after losing another round, "if you see a hibernating squirrel in THAT." He did a halfhearted imitation of the headmaster´s pantomime.

The boy blushed and hung his head.

"Dad!" Snapdragon was scandalized. "You have to accept that Harry and Albus are simply better at pantomimes than you. Heavens, everybody is better at pantomimes than you!"

Everybody stared at the girl dumbfoundedly. Harry ducked as if expecting a blow. Neither child realized the two men´s eyes wandering to the boy. Suddenly the potions master laughed. "I´m afraid you´re right, daughter. Everybody is better at this than me." Snapdragon and Albus joined his laughter and a little later Harry, too.

-x-

"Snapdragon," Severus ushered his daughter to his private lab while Harry was absorbed in a book on dragons he had found on one of the shelves. "Is there a reason why Potter´s wearing this sweater again? Didn´t he bring any spare clothes downstairs? If not he can fetch something from the tower."

Snapdragon chewed her bottom lip. "I´m not sure, Dad," she said hesitantly, "but I don´t think Harry has many clothes. I never saw him wear a different pullover than this one save his uniform."

"That can´t be true," the potions master couldn´t believe it.

"Dad," Snapdragon pointed out, "MY aunt Petunia gave me a total of two outfits so that I had something to wear when she washed the other. Do you really think his Petunia is different?"

Severus sighed.

"I actually wanted to ask you if you can help me get Harry a shirt or something for Christmas," Snapdragon continued. "I saved my pocketmoney to buy you something, but you can live with a picture drawn by me for another year, can´t you?"

Severus smiled. "You´re a very generous young lady, Snapdragon. You don´t need to spend your pocketmoney for Harry´s present or mine. I´ll give you some extra money for presents."

The girl shook her head. "I won´t have you pay your own present. But if you want to give me money for Harry, I´ll take it. Can we go to Hogsmeade to shop?"

The potions master granted his daughter´s wish, of course. Ever since she started her schooling as a Hogwarts student he hadn´t been able to spoil her thoroughly and he was not going to let the holidays pass without doing so.

Snapdragon broached Harry the good news, but the boy looked sad.

"Harry, don´t you want to go to Hogsmeade?" Snapdragon asked, surprised. How would anybody in their right mind let an opportunity to go shopping pass?

"I don´t have any money," whispered Harry. "I can´t buy anything. So why would I go to a shop?"

"Excuse my curiousity, Harry," said Snapdragon. "But what happened with the money you used to buy those sweets on the train?"

Harry looked puzzled first, but then he beamed. "I totally forgot about that!" he cried. "I never owned any money!"

The two children ran up to Gryffindor tower to get Harry´s pouch. When they returned to Harry´s dungeon room, the boy emptied the little leather bag on his blanket and they sorted Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. "Is this much?" Harry asked.

"That´s quite an amount of money," nodded Snapdragon. She spent the next hour explaining patiently how wizarding money worked and how much you had to expect certain items to cost.

Dad took them to Hogsmeade the next day and they returned to the castle with several bags of purchases each. In the evening they decorated pieces of parchment to use as giftwraps. Albus came down to the dungeons and gave them permission to use magic for practice´s sake. Technically Snapdragon was at home and therefore not allowed to use magic, while they weren´t sure about Harry. Harry´s home was with the Dursleys, so he should be allowed to use his wand, but he stayed with his sister, which made the dungeons a bit of home for him, too. At last Albus solved the problem by giving them express permission to magic their giftwrap material.

Dad and Albus sat in front of the fireplace with their tea while Snapdragon and Harry worked in the dining area. Snapdragon insisted that neither of the two wizards was to see the colour she was going to wrap his gift in.

-x-

When Snapdragon woke on Christmas Morning, she rushed to the living room in her nightdress. The Christmas tree stood in the corner of the room, like every year, but bigger and more magnificent then ever before. Beneath the tree lay piles of presents.

"Good morning, Dad! Good morning, Albus!" Like every year, the headmaster wouldn't miss his goddaughter open her presents. The girl pecked the two men on their cheeks before she rushed to Harry´s door and knocked impetuously. "Get up, sleepyhead! Santa was here!"

"´M coming!" sounded Harry´s tired voice from the room.

"Hurry up! Everybody´s waiting for you! Come on! Everybody is in their pyjamas!"

The door was opened hesitantly and Harry stepped into the living room. The pyjamas he wore were too short, but nevetheless too wide around the waist. Snapdragon grabbed the boy´s hand and pulled him over to the tree.

"Look!" she cried happily.

Harry stared at the Christmas tree obediently.

"Dad, may we open our presents now?" Snapdragon looked over at the table, where the potions master and his superior were – following a tradition – breakfasting with their bathrobes over their pyjamas. Severus´ was a dark green – he had taken it for black in the shop – and Albus´ was orange with gaudy yellow ducks. The older wizard wore a matching hat.

"You know the rules, young lady," Severus said sternly. "One present before breakfast. The rest after you´ve finished your meal."

Snapdragon sighed dramatically and chose a small box from the pile. She handed the present she had gotten for him herself to Harry. The boy thanked her with a bright smile.

The two children returned to the table with their presents and sat.

"You first!" Snapdragon ordered.

Harry opened his box reverently. He folded the bow and laid it on the table before he proceeded and he also unwrapped his present without tearing the paper. In the box was a set of gobstones.

"Thank you!" he beamed. "Now I need no longer borrow Neville´s stones!"

"You´re welcome," Snapdragon replied graciously and opened her present. It was from Dad. In the box was a thin gold chain with a little pendant, a Gryffindor lion with ruby eyes. "Dad!" squealed the little redhead, "that´s fantastic!" She hopped from her chair and fell on her father´s neck. "Help me put it on!"

The potions master obeyed and Snapdragon opened the top button of her nightdress for everybody to see her new necklace better.

"Beautiful!" cried Albus. "Severus, whenever I think I know you, you surprise me anew!"

The potions master smiled smugly and poured the children cocoa. "Breakfast now," he ordered and the next half hour was filled with clattering of porcellain and cuttlery and Snapdragon ooohing and aaaahing over her reflection in the backside of her spoon.

When the girl had finished her breakfast, she wriggled on her chair restlessly and tried to talk the two men into eating faster. Harry had finished his meal earlier, but he waited patiently for the others to finish.

"How come that Harry is so well behaved while you are a little pest?" Severus asked teasingly. "I know for sure that you can´t have inherited that recklessness from the Snape side."

Snapdragon crossed her arms and pouted, while the headmaster smiled benignly at his younger friend. "You are aware that you just hinted that Harry´s good behaviour comes from the Potter side." The two men laughed and the children looked from one to the other, bewildered.

"Oh well," Severus said at last and put down his tea cup. "Go ahead, monster."

The redhead glared at him angrily, but only for a moment, for then she rushed over to the pile of presents with a happy little squeal. Harry stayed put on his chair and watched.

-x-

Snapdragon went through the pile of presents like a little tornado. Occasionally there were outcries of joy and twice she rushed back to the table to kiss Severus´ cheek in thanks. On an armchair near the tree the girl stored her booty: new robes (light green with red and yellow flowers, had suggested the design), quills, several games, a fanged frisbee (Albus), a set of wizard chess (Severus had overheard her talk about chess with the Weasley boy), several little knick-knacks like hair-slides and bows, the shoes she had been begging for for months and there were still parcels to be opened.

"Harry," asked the headmaster, "why don´t you open your presents? It was okay to go one after the other with the pre-breakfast present, but now you really don´t have to wait."

"Presents?" Harry asked shyly. "I never get presents."

"But you have some today," said Albus. "I saw your name on several cards when I peeked earlier."

"Albus!" the potions master cried in mock indignation, "you haven´t tried to cheat!"

The headmaster winked at the younger man, when Harry got up from his chair and after a last reassuring nod from the headmaster joined Snapdragon in her quest for gifts.

"You were right!" he squealed after half a minute. "There is a box with my name on it!" The boy sounded delighted and awed at the same time. He brought his precious box to the table and opened it as slowly and carefully as his first present. "A pair of trousers! For me?" The child beamed at the two men. He checked the card and when he recognized his potion professor´s handwriting, he went to thank the man politely.

Severus shook the boy´s hand solemnly as Harry said his thank-you. "They have a spell on them," he explained about the trousers. "They´ll fit themselves when you try them on the first time." Somehow it was heartbreaking, how Harry was beside himself about something he needed while Snapdragon unwrapped treats. "Go ahead, there´s more." He smiled at the boy encouragingly.

Harry discovered a total of three pairs of trousers, five shirts, three pullovers, a new pair of shoes and two new pairs of pyjamas. There was also a new pair of robes and several toys, such as a wizarding chess set, a pair of quidditch gloves and a ball; and sweets. Piles of sweets from Hagrid and Harry´s Gryffindor friends. Albus had given Harry a new broomstick.

"Admit it," growled the potions master, when Harry had gone back to the tree to look for more "this is an attempt to favour Gryffindor!" The boy seemed rather embarrassed by the number of gifts he had received and still Albus sent him back to look for more.

"Ah," cried the headmaster and ignored the head of Slytherin´s accusation, "you found the last one."

Harry returned to the table with a present wrapped in silver paper. He opened it and looked at the headmaster questioningly. In the parcel was a cloak of fine silvery material. Severus had never seen anything similar before.

"This was your father´s," Dumbledore explained kindly. "I thought you were old enough to have it."

Harry touched the cloak lovingly. "My father´s?" he echoed. Snapdragon stepped to the table when she heard Harry´s father mentioned.

"Try it on," she cried. Her cheeks were all rosy from exitement.

Harry obeyed like he always did when Snapdragon made a request.

"Wow!" the girl cried and Harry looked down at himself panicky. His body was gone.

"This," explained the headmaster kindly, "is an invisibility cloak. As I said, it was your father´s."

"Albus, do you think it´s wise..." Severus was stopped by a raised hand.

"I know that Harry will not use it for mischief," the headmaster said solemnly and Harry nodded with equal solemnity.

"I think I found your present, Dad," said Snapdragon. She handed Severus a box. In it was a bottle of red ink and a very stylish falcon feather quill.

"Thank you, dear," Severus hugged his daughter.

"I have something for you, too, Sir," Harry offered a small box. "Thank you for having me here." The box contained several small glass jars with potion ingredients. Fondly, Severus recognized every single ingredient he had mentioned in Harry´s very first potions lesson.

"This is a wonderful gift, Harry," Severus said with a smile. Then he pulled Harry closer and hugged him, too. "And you´re very welcome to stay here."

-x-

The rest of the holidays passed quickly. Snapdragon and Harry enjoyed themselves greatly. Dad took them outside every day and they went past Hagrid´s hut where the other students never went. There, where they couldn´t be seen from the castle, they played in the snow and sometimes Dad joined them. Snapdragon and Harry teamed up against him in several snowball battles; they never won but once or twice they came close to beating him.

"You´re cheating!" Snapdragon cried accusingly. "No magic!"

"Prove it!" Dad cried provokingly. Snapdragon was hit by a ball from behind. She ducked and the wizard used her moment of distraction to tackle her and tickle the girl. Snapdragon squealed and wriggled, trying to free herself. The potions master used his weight to hold the girl down.

Suddenly Harry was there, tickling the potions master to distract him from the little redhead. For some minutes Severus and the two children were rolling in a ball. They ended up with the potions master on his back and two happily crowing firstyears holding his arms down.

"Got you, Dad!" Snapdragon singsanged.

"Got you, Dad!" Harry joined in. He stiffened and stared at Severus in shock. "Sorry, Professor," he whispered in a small voice. The boy disentangled himself from Snapdragon and his potions professor, but before he could get up, Severus had gathered both children close and rolled around.

"Got you both," he growled and pinned them to the ground.

Harry looked still shocked, but Severus grinned at them both and finally the boy relaxed and smiled back.

The boy was subdued all through dinner. Snapdragon was quiet, Severus couldn´t remember when he had last seen her so silent. She looked entirely mixed up.

The potions master waited until after the meal to enter upon the subject.

"Harry," he said gently, "we need to talk about what happened today."

The boy blushed and looked into his cup of cocoa as if his life depended on it. "´M sorry," he murmured. Snapdragon sat beside her halfbrother and watched the conversation curiously.

"Don´t be," Severus said fiercly. "I felt honoured that you think I deserve this name."

"Really?" Harry asked hopefully, still staring into his cup.

"Really," Severus confirmed and winked at the now beaming Snapdragon.

Harry finally abandoned his attempt to hypnotize his cocoa and looked at Severus. The boy smiled shyly.

"However," Severus continued, "you remember what we told you about the wizard who killed your parents?"

Harry nodded.

"I promised to help and protect you," the potions master looked at the boy sincerely. "It´s important that he never learns about that help. Therefore it´s important that nobody knows you´re more for me than a student."

Harry nodded. "Yes, professor."

Severus shook his head. "I was going to suggest that you call me Dad only in private. But when other students are nearby, you have to call me professor. Can you do that?"

"I may call you Dad?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"If you want to," the potions master affirmed. "You´re my daughter´s brother after all."

"Of course I want to," cried Harry. "I´ve never had a Dad."

A moment later Severus Snape found himself with his arms full of James Potter´s son and strangely enough he enjoyed the encounter greatly.

"We´re a real family now," cried Snapdragon and joined the hug.

"Really?" Albus calm voice came from the door. "What changed, my children?"

The potions master nodded at Harry encouragingly. The boy stood proudly and beamed at the headmaster. "The professor just allowed me to call him Dad in private." The small Gryffindor radiated happiness like a lighthouse.

"That´s wonderful news," smiled the headmaster, "but do you think it´s wise? One slip of tongue..."

"If you think it´s not wise, I´ll not do it," Harry said in a small voice. All the happiness was gone in an instant.

"Nonsense," the potions master glared at his superior. "Harry won´t make a mistake. I trust him."

"With your life." Albus pointed out.


	15. Norbert

**Norbert**

Harry slipped back into his role as Severus´ student seemingly effortlessly after the holidays. He even managed to look a bit anxious when the potions master warned the class to not cause desaster by mere thoughtlessness.

Ron entertained them for several evenings with tales about his journey to Romania and the dragon his brother was working with, mainly Norwegian Ridgebacks. Aunt Muriel had fallen and broken several ribs just when Mr and Mrs Weasley were about to step into the floo. So it had been either take the children along or stay at home. Ron had enjoyed the holiday greatly. Snapdragon was glad about this. The fewer questions she and Harry had to answer about their holidays, the fewer possibilities they had for slips of tongue.

Hagrid invited them for tea two weeks after the holidays and the four Gryffindors accepted the invitation happily.

"Hagrid," Snapdragon asked while the gameskeeper was still pouring tea, "do you know what Fluffy is guarding on the third floor?" She knew that the kind half-giant wasn´t very good at keeping secrets and asking while he was distracted might cause him to let some information slip.

"Who says he´s guarding something?" Hagrid asked innocently.

"I bet it´s the parcel you withdrew from Gringott´s in July," Harry made a guess.

"I didn´t tell you that!" Hagrid cried panicky. The children smiled cheekily at him. "Oh, ´shouldn´t have said that," the man murmured. "However," Hagrid drew himself up to his full size, nearly touching the ceiling. "whatever Fluffy guards is only professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel´s business."

"Nicholas Flamel?" Hermione repeated, already deep in thought where to look the name up.

The half-giant cursed under his breath and put a plate of rock cakes onto the table. He dismissed the children rather quickly afterwards.

Finding Nicholas Flamel proved difficult. Harry and Snapdragon even used the invisibility cloak to tiptoe into the forbidden section of the library to investigate, and Harry went again with Hermione the next evening, but Nicholas Flamel wasn´t in any book they searched. The information they needed finally came from a rather unexpected source.

Ron was sorting his collection of chocolate frog cards – he had more than six hundred – when he suddenly cried out in triumph. His friends, who had been working on their Charms homework, rushed to his side. The redhead held up a card.

"He´s here!" he cried. "We looked in the library, while Nicholas Flamel was in my bedside drawer all the time." He read out the text on Albus Dumbledore´s card, which said – among other pieces of information such as the headmaster´s love for chamber music – that Nicholas Flamel had been Dumbledore´s partner in alchemic research. Flamel, it said, was the only wizard known to be able to make the philosopher´s stone.

"The philosopher´s stone?" Harry asked, bewildered. "What´s that?"

Hermione explained.

"But what would professor Quirrell do with a philosopher´s stone? He´s a young man," Harry pointed out. "He doesn´t need the elexir of life."

The others agreed.

"Then in must be about the gold the stone can make," mused Snapdragon. She could hardly wait to talk to Dad. He had to be warned.

-x-

The girl went to the dungeons right after their return to the castle.

"Dad!" she returned the hug.

"What´s the matter, my girl?" Severus asked with concern. "You seem agitated. What upset you?"

"You must be careful, Dad. We think that uncle Quirinus is after the philosopher´s stone!"

Dad´s smile vanished in an instant. "Listen, young lady. I don´t know who told you about the stone, but rest assured that it is well protected. Albus and I have been keeping an eye on Quirinus ever since you accused him of having tried to kill Harry. We found nothing. Quirinus is innocent. He´s not a murderer, and he certainly isn´t a thief."

"But Dad!" Snapdragon could hardly believe it.

"Don´t you But Dad me," Severus continued solemnly. "You can´t walk around and accuse innocent people. Why would he want the stone?"

"To make gold?"

"To make gold?" Severus laughed. "What would a wizard need gold for? He can conjure anything he needs. And Quirinus really isn´t the person to buy status. Think, Snapdragon! You´ve known the man for years. Quirinus Quirrell is a kind and modest person. He doesn´t seek gold."

Snapdragon had to admit that Dad was right with his assessment of uncle Quirinus. The man wasn´t greedy. Deep in thought she returned to Gryffindor tower.

"What did he say?" asked Ron.

Snapdragon reported her conversation with Dad.

"What do you think?" asked Hermione. "You know professor Quirrell better than we do."

Snapdragon sighed. "I think Dad´s right. It can´t be the gold."

"The elexir of life then," Harry pointed out.

"But why would a young man need that?" Ron asked.

They all were at a loss. "I guess we need to watch him carefully," Harry suggested, "perhaps he´ll give away something by mistake."

As they had no better plan, they all agreed.

"Now," said Hermione, once they had made up their minds on Quirinus Quirrell, "what about that History of Magic essay?"

They all groaned. History of Magic was boring beyond belief. And having known professor Binns for nearly all her life, Snapdragon found not even his entry through the blackboard interesting.

-x-

The Gryffindor Four observed the professor closely, but either he had nothing to hide or he was very clever about it. All they learnt was that his life was like every Hogwarts teacher´s. He spent most of his time at the castle and strolled to Hogsmeade occasionally.

"I wonder what he does there," mused Ron when they looked after him on a day in late February. "He goes to Hogsmeade at least twice a month!"

"What Dad does when he goes there," Snapdragon shrugged. "Shopping or to the pub. Dad enjoys a meal without students around from time to time. Uncle Quirinus may also meet someone."

"You think he has an accomplice?" Ron asked eagerly.

"I think he has friends," Snapdragon rolled her eyes.

"But Ron may have a point," Harry joined the conversation. "What if he has an accomplice?"

"He doesn´t seem the type," Hermione pointed out, "but then neither does he seem to be the type to steal the stone on first sight."

"Let´s go visit Hagrid," Snapdragon suggested. "We can´t follow Uncle Quirinus into the village, we might as well do something nice."

They went down to Hagrid´s hut, but the gameskeeper wasn´t there; so they decided to take a walk at the lakeside and come back an other day.

´An other day´ turned out to be not so soon. Professor Quirrel had come back to the castle in a good mood, seemingly because he had managed to get hold of a forest gnome, which he brought to all his first year classes to demonstrate how harmless dangerous dark creatures could look – forest gnomes looked like muggle garden gnomes, they even had jelly-bag caps – and why they had to be careful.

The professor let the gnome loose during the lesson and it bit Parvati Patil´s finger when she tried to pat it. The bite wasn´t dangerous, but rather painful. Parvati cried for the rest of the lesson, but the professor said she couldn´t go see Madam Pomfrey immediately. Then he set them all the longest homework they had ever got in Defence. They had not only to write an essay about forest gnomes but also to find a minimum of five other creatures which looked harmless but weren't.

Snapdragon and her friends spent hours upon hours in the library. More than once the girl considered asking Dad or Albus for a hint but then the other first years couldn't do that either and it would have been completely unfair. Once they had succeeded with the dark creature assignment, they had to work extra hard to catch up in their other subjects.

Dad even mentioned on a weekend that there had been a quarrel at the staff room about Quirrell asigning too much work to the first years.

It was already March when they went to Hagrid´s again. The gameskeeper seemed strangely curt, but he asked them in when Snapdragon made puppy eyes. The children told some funny stories about their lessons, but Snapdragon couldn´t help the impression that Hagrid wasn´t really listening.

"And then professor McGonagall turned Malfoy into a rat and went after him in her cat form. He squeaked when she ate him." Snapdragon ignored her bewildered friends and looked at Hagrid expectantly.

"That was the right thing to do," the half-giant said absentmindedly. He glanced at his cauldron, which was hanging over the fire although Hagrid wasn´t cooking or brewing. Snapdragon got up from her seat and walked over to the fireplace.

"Hagrid, what´s that?" she asked when she looked into the cauldron. Her friends joined her and peeked into it, too.

"Hagrid! This can´t be..." Hermione gaped at the gameskeeper.

"It is," confirmed Ron.

"But Hagrid, that´s illegal!" cried Snapdragon.

The gameskeeper was lost for words for a moment. Harry used the silence to make himself heard. "What are you all talking about?"

"About this dragon egg!" Snapdragon, Ron and Hermione replied in unison.

-x-

"A dragon egg?" Harry asked in disbelief. "You must be kidding! There´s no such thing as dragons!"

"I told you I wanted a dragon," muttered Hagrid, irritated.

"I thought you were joking! Dragons don´t exist!"

"As don´t witches and wizards," grinned Ron. "And people who see one riding a broomstick at the full moon are all..." He gestured with his index at his temple.

Harry looked at his friends wide-eyed and stepped closer to the cauldron to see better. "No joke? This is a dragon egg?"

"No joke," Snapdragon confirmed. "Hagrid, when is it due to hatch?"

"Could be any minute." Hagrid beamed proudly. "It already started moving."

"Moving?" Hermione craned her neck, but the egg stayed still.

"Moving. The dragon moves inside the egg, when it has too little space it will move, trying to find a more comfortable position. You can see it do that from the outside." Hagrid was in lecture mode now. "This stage can take up to a week, depending on the character of the dragon. A docile dragon will endure the narrowness of the egg for longer, while a fierce creature will try to break free as quickly as possible."

The children listened intently as dragons were a very interesting topic and Hagrid was clearly an expert. They nearly missed the small cracking sounds coming from the cauldron.

"Hagrid!" cried Snapdragon "I think your dragon is going to hatch now!"

"Stand aside!" cried Hagrid. "I have to get the egg out of the cauldron. Don´t want the dearie to hurt himself if he doesn´t have space to move." He took two oven gloves and carried the egg to the table. The children gathered around the table and together the half-giant and his guests watched the egg crack and the young dragon break free.

The dragon was mainly brown, a little lighter on his belly – a yellowish ochre – and darker on his back. It coughed and a small jet of fire burned a hole into Hagrid´s table cloth. Then it spread his leathery, nearly black wings and made a cooing sound.

"Oh what a beauty!" whispered Hagrid in awe. "Sweet little Norbert!"

The dragon turned to the source of the voice and sneezed, setting Hagrid´s beard on fire. It cooed again.

The gameskeeper smiled at the small creature affectionally and put out the fire with his hands.

"Norbert?" asked Harry.

"Well, he needs a name, don´t he? And ´Fluffy´ was already taken," explained Hagrid.

The children laughed.

"Hagrid," Snapdragon said after a little while. "What are you going to do with Norbert?"

"Do?" Hagrid echoed.

"You can´t keep him forever. He´ll soon be too big for your house and Albus won´t want a dragon near his school. Not everybody has a way with dangerous creatures like you do."

"You may have a point about Dumbledore not wanting a dragon on the grounds," Hagrid admitted.

"Would you like me to ask Dad for help?" Snapdragon offered.

"The potions master? No!" cried the half-giant. "Not the potions master!"

"Why not?" Snapdragon was bewildered. She had considered Dad and Hagrid friends.

"I know very well what them potions masters do with dragons. They want their scales and fangs and claws! Not to speak of the blood!" Hagrid gathered Norbert close and hugged him. Norbert cooed and coughed fire. Snapdragon saved Hagrid´s bed with a quick spell.

"Dad won´t hurt your pet, I promise," she said. "Please, let me fetch him."

-x-

It took nearly half an hour of persuasive talk until Hagrid agreed to let Snapdragon run up to the castle to get her father. The half-giant and the rest of the Gryffindor four stood by the window – Hagrid turning to the table to check on a now asleep Norbert from time to time – and waited.

The sight they were presented with little than five minutes later was quite strange. Snapdragon came running down the hill, her long red hair flying like a veil. Behind her ran her father, his long black robes gathered up in his left hand to give him more freedom of movement and his black hair flying just like his daughter´s.

Harry hurried to Hagrid´s front door to let them in.

"Snapdragon," panted the potions master as he dropped his robes and leaned upon the door frame, trying to catch his breath. "What is the emergency? It seems that with Hagrid you already have an adult here and he seems quite calm."

"It´s Hagrid who needs your help," replied Snapdragon as if it was the obvious. "Now come in and close that door." The potions master puffed and glared at the little redhead, but the girl wasn´t impressed. "Oh, come on, Dad, you´re not that old," she chimed happily and pulled the man inside by his sleeve before Harry closed the door.

Ron and Hermione looked a bit unsure whether they should get ready for an explosion, but relaxed when they understood that the teasing was normal between father and daughter.

"Now, what´s the problem?" Severus looked around the room. At last his eyes fell on the sleeping dragon on the table. "I see. Hagrid has a new pet. You don´t happen to still have the egg-shell, Hagrid?"

"I told you he wants to use Norbert as a potion ingredient!" wailed the gameskeeper.

"I only asked for the egg-shell!" the potions master defended himself. "But," he continued in a malicious tone, "I will take the entire dragon if he´s on offer."

Hagrid yowled like a hurt animal and Snapdragon slapped her father´s arm playfully. "This is not the moment for one of your wicked jokes," she reprimanded. "Hagrid needs to find a home for Norbert. He can´t keep a dragon in his house."

"I see," said Severus earnestly. "Hmm, I suggest to ask the headmaster for help. Albus has connections. I bet he knows some dragon-keeper or something."

"A dragon-keeper?" Hagrid blew his nose in a huge polka-dotted handkerchief. "Not one of those guys who make them dragons show tricks?"

"My brother Charlie is a dragon-keeper in Romania," explained Ron. "They protect the dragons and make sure they can live in their natural habitat. No tricks or something."

"That´s what I want for Norbert. Can we give him to Charlie?" Hagrid looked at the potions master pleadingly.

"Of course. If writes to his brother and the latter agrees, we can give him your dragon."

-x-

Charlie Weasley agreed to take Hagrid´s dragon. In the meantime, while they waited for him to answer Ron´s letter, the half-giant spent most of the time bustling about his little pet.

He wasn´t the only one, however.

Severus knew that there was no way to get dragon blood out of little Norbert without becoming the target of his daughter´s ire – and Severus Snape could be called a lot, but suicidal was not among those things – but that didn´t mean that the little ridgeback wasn´t a well of potions ingredients.

The potions master spent hours at Hagrid´s house, collecting fallen out scales, dung and snot. And when Hagrid announced that Norbert should get a manicure, the potions master looked as if Christmas had come early.

Hagrid and Severus took the dragon to a meadow in the forbidden forrest when the time for good-bye had come and handed it – enclosed in a wooden box, which Severus had magicked very comfortable inside – to a group of Charlie Weasley´s friends.

"Good bye, Norbert!" cried the half-giant and sobbed like a child. Norbert cooed in his box in response, causing Hagrid to throw himself on the box with a howl.

"He´s not taking this easily," said one of the young men. "Charlie was right. Thanks for your help, professor." He handed a small box to the potions master. "Charlie said you´d like that. – Can you make him stand aside now?"

Severus pocketed the present and pulled Hagrid away from Norbert´s box. The youngsters took off and waved and then the dragon was gone.

On the way back to the castle, Severus opened his box. Inside was a bottle of dragon blood.

Christmas had come early.


	16. The Quest for the Stone

**The Quest for the Stone**

"I want you and your friends to stay away from the forest."

Severus glared at Snapdragon sternly.

"We will," Snapdragon promised immediately. She knew that look on her father´s face. He was obviously talking about something very serious and the prohibition was meant for her protection. She had learned that lesson at an early age when he had told her better not to go near a flesheating bush in the greenhouses and she hadn´t believed him. "Why?"

Severus thought whether it was wise to tell the girl the truth, but then the matter was really serious. Knowledge was power, or in this case safety.

"Hagrid found two dead unicorns. Something killed them. Some dangerous creature is on the loose in there."

"He told you? Hagrid never tells you anything." Snapdragon was doubtful. The gameskeeper and her father were colleagues, but had never been on especially friendly terms. True, due to Snapdragon – she had become some kind of mascot for the staff – nearly every staff-member was on friendly relations with the Snapes, but Hagrid was one of those who were rather interested in the little girl than in the potions master.

"He got an owl from Romania lately. Norbert seems to be fine," Severus explained. "He collected some of the unicorn blood and also some hair and horn for me to repay me for my help with the dragon."

Snapdragon laughed. "You must have gotten several hundred Galleons´ worth of potions ingredients thanks to Norbert."

Severus grinned. "That I have. And the best thing is, it didn´t cost Hagrid a Knut."

Later that evening Snapdragon told her friends about Dad´s warning.

"What creature can it be?" asked Hermione, anxious.

"I have no idea," admitted the other girl and the boys nodded. "We´ll have to look it up in the library. There can´t be many creatures which attack unicorns."

They started their search the next day, which was Sunday. Hermione was great at research and she organized everything. Harry and Ron were sent to the shelves with the books on magical creatures (which was, Snapdragon thought, very sly. The boys oohed and aaahed over the pictures of sphinxes, chimeras and giant snakes.)

Snapdragon and Hermione looked up the uses of unicorn blood in potions texts. If unicorn blood was a potions ingredient, then maybe the mysterious creature wanted it for the same purpose a potions master would want it for. The more the two girls read, the more uncomfortable they felt.

"Unicorn blood," Hermione lectured the boys in the evening, "is used in various very dark potions, which tamper with life itself. For instance the draught of the living dead requires several drops. It nearly kills you, but only nearly as the unicorn blood keeps you alive. It´s also used for some complicated healing potions. They´re only used in desperate cases. The ingestion of unicorn blood affects the very soul of a witch or wizard, so it´s only used as a very last resort."

"There seem to be no creatures which will attack a unicorn," said Harry. "We found none."

"Then it must be a man or woman who does it," said Ron. "But who´d want to tamper with their soul?"

The Gryffindor four stared at each other uncomfortably.

"I know who," whispered Snapdragon at last.

-x-

Despite the disquieting suspicion of the dark wizard that had attempted to kill Harry and Snapdragon in not only one but two universes roaming the Forbidden Forest, the Gryffindor four had a quiet summer term. There was of course the occasional confrontation with Draco Malfoy – the boy seemed to loathe Harry and Snapdragon beyond reason – but on an overall view everything was quiet.

The nearer summer drew the faster time seemed to pass. One day they were brewing a new potion in Dad´s class and then – Snapdragon hardly remembered revising – they sat their end of the year exams. Potions was the first one for the Gryffindor first years. Snapdragon was glad about that. She was good at potions and it was nice to have Dad near her in her first exam although he was supervising and therefor no help at all. A ministry official sat in a corner of the room and made sure that the potions master didn't help his daughter. And she was going to grade Snapdragon's work later.

The exams took over a week. Dad withdrew to one of the unused towers of Hogwarts for the grading as did many of the other teachers. The students were left to enjoy their new freedom on the grounds.

"You know," said Harry, as they walked down to Hagrid´s hut to pay the gameskeeper a visit, "I was thinking the other day where Hagrid got the dragon egg from."

The others looked at each other. "That´s a good question," admitted Hermione. "Dragon eggs are not very common."

"Uncommon?" asked Ron. "They´re illegal!"

"Let´s ask Hagrid," suggested Snapdragon.

"I won it from a stranger at the Hog´s Head," Hagrid explained five minutes later. "We played cards and we talked about creatures and then he offered to play for the egg."

"What creatures did you talk about?" Hermione asked suspiciously.

"All kinds of creatures," Hagrid answered casually. "Thestrals, acrumantulae, Fluffy."

"Fluffy?" cried Snapdragon. "Was the stranger particularly interested in Fluffy?"

"Of course! Everybody is interested in Fluffy. It´s not everyday you meet a three-headed dog." The gameskeeper sounded offended.

"What did you tell him about Fluffy?" Ron joined the conversation. He even managed to sound calm, though how Snapdragon couldn´t tell.

"Well," beamed the half-giant, "all you have to know about creatures is how to handle them. Take Fluffy for example. Play him a bit of music and he sleeps like a baby."

The four children looked at each other in horror and finally Hagrid realised he had made a mistake. His jaw dropped. "I shouldn´t have said that!" he muttered over and over again.

The Gryffindors turned on the spot and flew back to the castle as quickly as their feet could make it. Snapdragon turned to the dungeons first, but then she remembered that Dad had gone to the tower to grade the exams. "Let´s tell Albus!" cried Snapdragon and led the way to the headmaster´s office. The stone gargoyle stood unmovingly despite the little redhead´s personal password.

"He´s not here! Auntie Minerva uses to grade in her classroom!" Snapdragon cried and headed to their head of house´s corridor.

They were out of breath when they reached the transfiguration classroom where professor McGonagall sat reading her way through a huge pile of parchments.

"Professor!" panted Harry. "The stone! Somebody wants to steal it."

The old witch looked up from her work. "What are you talking about, ,"she asked irritatedly.

"The philosopher´s stone!" cried Snapdragon and Hermione in unison. "We need to alert the headmaster!"

"The headmaster is in London," said the professor calmly, "but rest assured that the stone is well protected. Now kindly go back to Gryffindor tower, children." She smiled.

The friends left the classroom, each trying to think of somebody to turn to. What were they to do?

-x-

The Gryffindor Four returned to the tower and sat in the Common Room. Harry was uneasy about disturbing Severus´ work. Ron suggested going to Hagrid, but Snapdragon ruled it out. Hagrid would never go against a teacher´s word and McGonagall had said to drop the topic.

"Any other teachers you trust to help?" asked Hermione.

Snapdragon shrugged. "Several, but they´re all busy and most don´t grade in their offices."

"What about Mr. Filch?" asked Harry.

"Argus Filch has less magic than a common dung beetle," replied Snapdragon.

"A squib?" asked Ron and Snapdragon confirmed with a nod.

"What´s a squib?" asked Harry.

"A person of magical parentage, but with no magic themselves," explained Hermione.

"Oh," Harry looked dumbfounded, but being the true Gryffindor he was, he recovered quickly. "If nobody can help, we have to act ourselves." He squared his shoulders. "We have to go down through the trapdoor and get the stone before Quirrell does."

"I hate to admit it, mate," said Ron, "but I think you´re right."

The girls agreed reluctantly.

A half hour after curfew the four young Gryffindors tiptoed their way to the third floor under Harry´s invisibility cloak. Snapdragon felt bad about disobeying Dad, but it couldn´t be helped.

"We´re too late!" she whispered urgently when they entered Fluffy´s room and found the three-headed dog sound asleep.

The four children hurried to open the trapdoor, beside which Fluffy was lying. They looked down into what seemed to be a bottomless abyss. There was no trace of light or Quirinus Quirrell.

"Somebody needs to go down there and check," said Harry. "I´ll do it," he offered boldly. "If something bad happens, run out!"

"You will not go down there on your own!" protested Snapdragon.

"I will go with you!" insisted Ron.

"Don´t be stupid! It´s dangerous!" argued Harry.

The decision who was to go down through the door was taken from them by Fluffy, who woke because of the racket the quarreling Gryffindors were making.

"Jump!" cried Snapdragon and took the step over the edge of the blackness waiting for them. The way down wasn´t as long as the darkness had suggested. After a short fall the girl landed on something soft and comfortable. Three loud thuds beside her informed her of her friends´ arrival.

"Lumos."

Snapdragon looked at what they had landed on in the light of her wand tip.

"Bloody hell!" cried Ron when the tendrils they were sitting on began to move.

"That´s Devil´s Snare!" Hermione sounded panicky. A tendril of the plant had begun wrapping itself around her ankle. The boys were in equal trouble.

"Why doesn´t that thing attack Snapdragon?" cried Harry as he tried to fight back the murderous plant.

"She lit her wand!" cried Hermione. "Devil´s Snare hates the light!" She wriggled to get her wand and when she succeeded conjured a fire. The plant let go of its would-be victims and retreated to the dark.

"Good work, Hermione!" praised Snapdragon. Ron patted Hermione´s shoulder and Harry muttered "Thanks!" as he got up and dusted off his jeans.

They proceeded along a damp corridor until they reached a room, which looked like a cathedral. At the opposite wall was an ancient door with an even older lock, but no key. Beside the door hung a broomstick in midair.

A tiny cluttering made the children look up. A cloud of winged keys was moving gracefully near the ceiling.

"What´s that about?" asked Harry.

"I guess you have to catch the key on the broomstick," said Ron.

There was a short debate who was to go for the key, Harry or Snapdragon. In the end Snapdragon gave in and let Harry mount the broom. The chase was short and quick. With three people watching out and pointing him, Harry caught the key quickly.

The next room contained a mountain troll. Luckily it had been knocked out by somebody before and the children were able to proceed quickly to the next room.

This one was even more spooky than those before. A lot of debris was lying around and first they thought it was some kind of graveyard. It was Ron who finally identified the giant chess board, and it was him who directed the group when they played their way across the room. Unfortunately Ron was hurt by a shower of debris when their bishop was taken by the black queen. Hermione had to stay behind with him to make sure he was taken to the hospital wing.

Harry and Snapdragon proceeded to the next room. When they entered it, two fires burst into existance, blocking the way to the next room as well as the way back. The two children looked at each other uncomfortably.

In the middle of the room stood a table with several glass bottles and a roll of parchment on it. Harry took the parchment and read out an enigmatic poem talking about wine, poison and potions to take the drinker through the fire.

"We´re trapped," he sighed.

Snapdragon smiled. "We´re not. That´s one of Dad´s riddles. He loves logical puzzles, we have been doing them since I was small. Read it again, but slowly."

Harry did as the girl told him. Snapdragon listened very carefully and at last pointed at a small bottle. "This one will take us to the next room and that one back." She indicated a bigger bottle.

"You go back, I will proceed," said Harry.

"Nonsense," insisted the girl. "We´re in this together."

"But I don´t think there´s enough potion for two."

"You will need all the protection you can get and I´m your sister." Snapdragon glared at her half-brother.

"Protected where my mother´s blood dwells," muttered Harry.

"See." The redhead took the small bottle. "I´m sure one drop will do." She carefully poured a drop of the potion on her palm and licked it up before she handled the bottle to Harry.

Together the children passed the barrier of fire to find Quirinus Quirrell in front of a big mirror. He hurled around when he saw Harry and Snapdragon´s reflexion in the mirror. "What are you two doing here?" He drew his wand.

"Make sure you don´t get the stone?" suggested Harry.

Quirrell snorted. "What does this mirror do?" he asked. "I see what I desire, I give the stone to my master. But how to get it?"

"Use the boy!" hissed a high-pitched voice.

Harry and Snapdragon craned their necks to see the speaker, but nobody was there.

Quirrell grabbed Harry by the arm and dragged him to the mirror. "Leave him alone!" cried Snapdragon and hit the man´s arm as hard as she could.

"Kill her!" hissed the voice. "Punish Snape for living in Dumbledore´s pocket!"

Professor Quirrell let go of Harry and pointed his wand at Snapdragon. "Avada Kedavra!" A green light left the tip of the wand and Snapdragon´s world turned black.

Snapdragon heard the wailing of a small child. Curious, she set out to search for it and what pained it. She had taken some steps only when she remembered Harry left alone to face Quirrell and the mysterious voice. If only Dad was there to help him! Dad! What was Dad going to say when his little girl was gone! Snapdragon turned around.


	17. On Vacation

**On Vacation**

"Ah, Snapdragon, my dear!" Albus´ smiling face appeared in the girl´s view. "Severus! She´s awake!"

The sound of running feet resounded in what Snapdragon took to be the hospital wing. At least it smelled like the hospital wing.

"Snapdragon!" The girl was pulled into a breathtaking hug. "Thanks Merlin! You´re back! I was so much afraid!"

Snapdragon granted herself the luxury to snuggle up to Dad for a minute. She inhaled deeply. It had been so close! At last she let go. "Harry?" she asked fearfully.

"Just beside you!" cried the boy happily on her left.

"The stone?"

"Was destroyed," smiled Albus.

"Harry, how did you...?" Snapdragon didn´t even know what to ask.

"Escape? I don´t know," admitted the boy.

"It was the blood protection," explained Albus. "Professor Quirrell couldn´t stand to touch Harry. The professor was killed." There was a trace of grief in the headmaster´s voice and his eyes didn´t twinkle as much as usual.

"And the evil wizard?" asked Snapdragon. "He wanted me dead to hurt Dad."

Severus and Albus exchanged a worried glance. "Professor Quirrell cast the killing curse on you," said Dad. "And you survived. Again. How, we do not know."

"Strange." Snapdragon yawned.

"Strange, indeed," smiled Albus. "But now you need not worry. You´re safe. Rest, both of you." He signalled Dad and the two wizards left after Dad had smoothed Snapdragon and Harry´s blankets.

Snapdragon sank back on the pillow and fell asleep.

-x-

Albus proved once again that he wasn´t considered the most powerful wizard of his age for nothing. Neither Snapdragon nor Severus had an idea how he managed to do it, but Snapdragon´s survival of the killing curse remained a secret. Which was to say something at Hogwarts, which was famous for the speed rumours took through the halls and corridors. (Muggleborns sometimes said the Hogwarts rumour mill contradicted the theory of relativity, but Severus never had bothered to find out why this was more astonishing than magic itself.)

Rumour had it that Harry and Snapdragon had faced Quirinus Quirrell and the man had attacked the children. Harry, the Boy Who Lived, had stepped in front of his friend and the professor had died when he had attempted to touch the most magical of children.

Harry got a lot of attention for saving his friend, a reporter from the Daily Prophet even tried to talk Albus into allowing her to take fotos, but the headmaster had refused, hinting that this was a decision he felt not allowed to take out of Harry´s legal guardians´ hands. As the guardianship of Harry Potter was one of the best protected secrets in the wizarding world, the reporter had to give up.

Snapdragon got her share of fame for being brave enough to follow Harry through the wall of fire. The girl pointed out to everybody who cared to listen that Ron and Hermione would have done the same, but not many were keen for that piece of information.

Harry spent the next weekend officially with the Snapes. Severus had made sure that there were some students nearby when he asked Harry "to come to the dungeons to give him opportunity to thank him for saving his beloved daughter". The student body accepted the reason for the invitation without second thought and Harry came to spend two days with his new family.

Severus pulled the boy into a hug as soon as the door had closed on him.

"I was so scared for you!" he cried. "You stupid child! Never frighten me like that again!"

Snapdragon grinned smugly. She had received the same hug and ranting at the hospital wing.

"I didn´t do it on purpose!" piped Harry. "I promise, Dad."

"Of course you didn´t," Severus let finally go of the boy. "It´s so good to have you here and well."

They spent all Saturday playing board games in front of the fireplace. Neither of the three wanted to go outside despite the fine weather. Outside, they had to keep their true relationships secret, but in front of the fireplace Snapdragon and Harry were allowed to be sister and brother; and Severus to be their father, Snapdragon´s by blood and Harry´s by heart.

Albus visited on Sunday. They had lunch together in the dungeons.

"I did the research you asked me for, Severus," said the old wizard between two forkfuls of peas. "Harry doesn´t have to stay with the Dursleys all summer for the blood protection to work. July will do. I guess no harm will come of him spending August with you and Snapdragon."

Harry stared at the headmaster in disbelief. "You mean I can leave the Dursleys before school starts?"

Albus smiled. "That you can, but don´t expect too much. I can´t sanction you travelling around. You have to stay at Hogwarts."

"Hogwarts?" Harry beamed. "Summer at Hogwarts sounds great." He looked at Severus questioningly.

"I´ll come and get you on the first of August. Have your bag ready after breakfast." Severus smiled.

Harry fell on the potions master´s neck with a small shriek and then the boy hugged Albus, Severus and Snapdragon in turn.

-x-

The rest of term passed quickly and soon Snapdragon accompanied her friends to Hogsmeade station to see them off on the express. The girl would have liked to go to London with them, but Dad refused to go and pick her up from King´s Cross station.

"I understood that you wanted to be there when your peers met the first time, but there´s no reason at all for you to go all the way to London and be apparated back. Don´t look at me like that, it won´t work." Severus had glared at his daughter.

That was why the little redhead stayed behind on the platform and waved until the train went around a bend and she couldn´t see Harry, Ron and Hermione any longer.

When the girl returned to the castle, Dad waited with their suitcases packed. "Hurry!" Severus cried happily. "We´re leaving in ten minutes."

"Ten minutes? You can´t be serious!" Snapdragon´s heart missed a beat. "I haven´t packed anything!"

"I did the packing, obviously," snarled Dad with a gesture at the suitcases. "You didn´t honestly think I needed three suitcases all for myself?"

"You packed MY stuff?"

"I always pack your stuff."

"That was when I was a baby! I can´t believe that my father packed my underwear!"

Severus glared at the girl in disbelief. "I bought that underwear. I´ve seen it dozens of times. Why wouldn´t I pack it?"

Snapdragon huffed at the man. "Where are we going?" she changed topic.

"Surprise." Severus held out a hanger. "Kindly grab the portkey and hold one of the suitcases."

Snapdragon obeyed immediately.

"Suntan lotion!" cried the potions master and the portkey was activated. Snapdragon felt a pull behind her navel and then they were at a place she hadn´t seen before. It was hot and the air was filled with the sounds of unknown animals.

"Where are we?" asked the girl.

"Welcome to Greece," smiled Dad. "We have a cottage all to ourselves for two weeks."

Snapdragon fell on Dad´s neck with a small shriek. The girl loved Greek mythology and – since the Hogwarts elves had decided to spoil their favourite redhead with delicacies from all over the world – Greek food. "Can we go and see where the Greek witches and wizards lived in the old times?" she asked eagerly.

"We can," smiled Dad. "And I guess you will be happy to learn that we´re in Crete, where the minotaurus lived and all kinds of magical creatures. The guide says there are even stables which were used for thestrals back then."

"Thestrals? Thestrals aren´t kept in stables!"

"It seems the ancient Greek found ways to lure thestrals into stables."

Snapdragon´s face shone with anticipation. "I have to see that!"

Dad snickered happily. "We will see a lot of things during our stay, but not everything at once. Let´s get settled in first."

Snapdragon muttered under her breath, but followed Dad to their lodgings obediently. For the first time ever Dad let her unpack her suitcase on her own.

-x-

The two weeks in Greece passed quickly.

Snapdragon spent hours at the beach, protected by Dad´s special suntan lotion. She even managed to get a bit of a tan. They went to see the minotaurus´ maze, the thestral stables, a cave where the muggles thought one of their gods had lived (Dad knew everything about the witch who had really lived there) and to another cave, where Dad collected rare funghi for his potions.

One of the highlights of the journey was a trip into the sea. Literally, as Dad had brought gillyweed. They saw several merpeople from afar and Snapdragon wished Albus was with them to talk to the merpeople.

Every evening Snapdragon wrote down what she had seen and learned. Informing Harry, and later Ron and Hermione, was a point of honour.

The last day, Dad took Snapdragon to Chania, one of the major cities of Crete. Chania had, Snapdragon learned, a huge variety of shops and booths where you could buy all kinds of knick-knacks as souvenirs.

Severus gave his girl ten shiny galleons to spend for herself and her friends and watched her wander from shop to shop, trying to choose the best gifts, all afternoon. Occasionally he stayed behind a bit to buy a little something she had liked but considered too expensive for her funds.

-x-

The souvenirs were stored in a drawer for Snapdragon´s friends to receive them when they returned to Hogwarts. Only a small parcel wrapped in plain brown paper was put on the mantlepiece to be given to Albus in the evening.

The headmaster came to the dungeons to visit his ´favourite young lady´ after dinner. He sat in his usual armchair and watched his surrogate family with twinkling blue eyes.

"So, how was your vacation?" he asked at last.

"Interesting," smiled Severus and winked at the old man.

Snapdragon launched into a detailed description of everything she had seen. Albus listened with interest and Severus watched his daughter lovingly as she ticked off the potions ingredients they had collected on her fingers.

"Oh!" cried the girl at last, "I brought you a little souvenir!" She fetched the package from the mantle and laid it into Albus´ hand carefully. Then she sat on the carpet by the old wizard´s feet and watched excitedly as he unpacked his gift.

The headmaster turned the small lamp and admired it from all angles. "This is wonderful, my dear child! Thank you!" He smiled at his goddaughter happily. "I was saying to Fawkes only yesterday that I should buy a lamp for my bedroom. I can light a lamp wandlessly, but for a Lumos you need a wandtip to hold the spark. Reaching for my wand in the dark becomes more and more uncomfortable for me due to age."

"You´re not old, Albus!" protested the girl.

The wizard smiled down on her. "What a sweet lie, my girl," he said benignly.

"Well, at least not very," replied the redhead. "Do you like your lamp?" She looked at the old wizard expectantly.

"It´s handy and beautiful. And most importantly, it´s from you, my dear child." Albus stroked the girl´s hair and Snapdragon leaned into the touch. "What I meant to ask you two," the headmaster changed topic, "is how are things going concerning the binding of Snapdragon´s magic? Severus, are you still in control?"

The potions master nodded solemnly. "I feel the spell weaken," he admitted. "I feel that she can pull more magic from me than before, but Snapdragon´s very disciplined. She barely tests the limits the spell sets. In fact the only occasion was when she and Harry went after the stone."

"Quite natural for her to reach out for all her magic when she was in peril," Albus pointed out.

"I wasn´t aware I tried to use more magic," said Snapdragon.

"You´re so used to the spell´s limitations that they seem natural to you," explained Albus. "The spell will weaken further and in about three years it will vanish. By then you´ll have learned enough about magic to control all your power."

Snapdragon nodded solemnly. The school year had been so busy, she had nearly forgotten about the binding spell.

"You have to be aware, my child," continued Albus, "that you will have to hide the true amount of power you possess without your father´s help. It will take a lot of control. Severus, I think you should try and teach Snapdragon occlumency. It´s a wonderful practice for control."

Snapdragon looked at her father curiously. She had never heard about a branch of magic called occlumency.

"Mind magic at the age of twelve? You can´t be serious, Albus," Severus could hardly believe his old friend and mentor had suggested it.

"I´m afraid it´s necessary. If not, I wouldn´t mention it."

The two wizards engaged in a staring duel. It was Dad, who averted his eyes at last.

"Well, then it´s settled. Start your lessons soon, Severus. It would be too much in addition to her regular lessons. Try to train her during the holidays." Albus smiled merrily. Dad nodded, but he looked extremely unhappy.

Snapdragon wanted to ask what occlumency was, but the two men changed topic quickly and before she had made up her mind to actually ask, they had started a game of charade. Albus enacted a squirrel, it was clear to Snapdragon from the first moment, but there was no need to hurry as Dad wasn´t very good at guessing in this game. So the redhead leaned back and enjoyed Albus´ acting for a little while.


	18. Mind Magic

**Mind Magic**

Snapdragon waited patiently for three days for Dad to bring up the topic of occlumency, but he didn´t. At last she had to ask.

"Dad, what is occlumency?"

Severus frowned at the girl. He had – in a burst of optimism – hoped Snapdragon had forgotten about the blasted matter, but if he was honest he wasn´t surprised that he wasn´t that lucky.

"Mind magic." He muttered darkly.

"Mind magic? Don´t you need your mind for any kind of magic?" Snapdragon looked at her father questioningly. "You have to concentrate to perform the simplest spells. The mind is always involved."

"Mind magic doesn´t mean that you use your mind, it means that your mind is affected. Mind magic makes it possible to see your thoughts, your wishes and dreams, your passions and your fears. It´s dangerous."

"See my thoughts?" Snapdragon gasped. "People can see my thoughts? Why didn´t you warn me? You said my thoughts are free! How can they, when they have to be hidden." The girl looked fearful.

Severus sighed. He sat on the sofa and patted the seat at his side. Snapdragon sat obediently.

"You don´t have to be afraid," Severus said softly. "Mind magic is difficult to learn and only very few witches and wizards master it. Besides, it´s considered rude and in many cases illegal, so many don´t care to learn it, even if they possess the gift."

"But you can do it?"

Severus nodded. "I know only four people, who are adept in mind magic. The Dark Lord, Bellatrix Lestrange, Albus and myself."

"Who´s Bellatrix Lestrange?" asked Snapdragon curiously.

"An evil woman. The most evil of women. She´s in Azkaban."

Snapdragon tried to picture a woman so evil to be locked away, but she couldn´t. The only evil person she had consciously met was the blond wizard, who had tried to kill her before she had met Dad. Lucius Malfoy.

"So, Albus wants you to teach me," she whispered. "When will we start?"

"I´d rather not teach you occlumency," Severus made a face. "You´re too young, love. And we don´t even know you possess the gift."

"I´m very powerful," Snapdragon pointed out.

"Not all powerful witches and wizards can master mind magic," replied Severus. "It takes a lot of discipline, patience and determination."

"We won´t know unless we try," Snapdragon mused.

Severus had to admit the girl had a point. "Well then. There are two branches of mind magic. Legilimency, which is the art of gaining access to others´ thoughts and occlumency, which is the art of defending oneself against a legilimens. Not all witches and wizards who practice mind magic are adept in both branches."

"Are you?"

"I´m a good occlumens, but only a mediocre legilimens. I need a wand to perform legilimency, but not for occlumency. Albus is a master of both and the Dark Lord knows only legilimency."

"And that woman?"

"Occlumency only. Luckily." Severus shuddered at the thought of Bellatrix Lestrange getting access to other people´s memories. She´d have used it without second thought and the Longbottoms would have been only the first in a long row of people she had put into a closed ward. But then, maybe their sanity would have been saved if Bellatrix had been able to use legilimency on them.

"I´ll apply legilimency on you to give you an idea what you´re facing. Later you will learn how to throw me out of your memories. A real master occlumens will be able to let me stay and show me memories of their own choosing or even false ones without me realising it. But that´s for much later. Your first aim will be to get rid of me."

"What do I have to do?"

"Nothing, at the moment. Juast get used to the feeling of somebody entering your mind."

"But that will be embarrassing. I don´t want you in my mind."

Severus laughed good-naturedly. "Afraid that I´ll learn your little secrets?" A look into Snapdragon´s face made him aware this was exactly what the girl feared. "Don´t," he said softly. "I´ll only go for memories we share anyway." He smiled encouragingly and after a moment of hesitation Snapdragon smiled back trustingly.

-x-

Severus looked down at the hysteric girl in his arms. Snapdragon cried and sobbed and clung to his robes as if her life depended on it. Now and then a word was discernible among her sobs. "Dad!" Severus could have smacked himself. He had known it was far too early to confront his little girl with mind magic, but against his better judgement he had followed Albus´ crack-brained scheme.

Snapdragon had broken down after only five seconds of contact. The mere thought of somebody invading her memories had terrified the child, even if that somebody was her father and all he viewed was them spending a lazy afternoon at the beach some days ago.

Severus stroked the girl´s hair and whispered soothing words to the shivering bundle. After a while Snapdragon calmed enough to scramble onto his lap and wrap her arms around his neck.

"This was dreadful," Snapdragon´s muffled voice informed him from somewhere near his shoulder after another while.

Severus´ hand slid gently over the red hair once more. "Nothing bad will happen to you," he assured the child. "I´m here. I´m watching over you."

Snapdragon held him even tighter in response. "The Evil Wizard can do that?" she asked.

"Yes." Severus would have smacked Albus, had the old man been present. What had the old coot been thinking, giving a child nightmares?

"You have to show me how to fight him off." Snapdragon leaned back and looked into Severus´ eyes. "I need to know how to fight him off."

Severus held the girl´s tearstained gaze unblinkingly. "I don´t think that´s a good idea. Look at you, my dear."

"Now that I know what he can do, I need to be able to fight back or I´ll go crazy." Snapdragon replied sincerely.

"Look what five seconds of legilimency did to you. Those lessons´d be very painful."

"Daddy, please!" Snapdragon pleaded with dispair. "I need it!"

"We don´t even know you have the gift. I may as well torment you for nothing."

"I´m your daughter. You have the gift. I probably have it, too."

Severus sighed. "You´re not my daughter, technically. We don´t know whether that other Severus had the gift."

Snapdragon snuggled closer to Severus. "I have to try, please." When Severus didn´t answer immediately, she added. "It´s unwise to know about a danger and do nothing about it."

Severus sighed again. Damn you, Albus! "I´ll teach you. But not now."

Surprisingly enough, Snapdragon agreed. Severus had half expected her to insist on starting right away. "Tomorrow. After breakfast." She smiled and scrambled off her father´s lap. "I ruined your robes." Casually, she drew her wand and unwrinkled Severus´ clothes.

"I´m not entirely sure it was wise to allow you to use magic at home," Severus said teasingly.

Snapdragon grinned cheekily. "It was allow it and keep some control or me using it when you don´t look. You know that the trace doesn´t work on Hogwarts grounds. Too much magic."

Severus still tried to think of a very strict reply when the redhead disappeared into her room. He followed a little later to tuck her up.

-x-

It was, Severus thought, amazing how quickly children recovered. In the evening, Snapdragon had suffered the worst breakdown he had ever watched a child suffer (but a boy named Spinturnicius Thundercloud after he had been hit by a bolt of lightning on a bright summer day), in the morning she had asked him cheerfully when he planned to start her lessons.

Severus had been tempted to answer "never", but it was out of question. Albus wanted Snapdragon to learn occlumency, so occlumency it was, especially as the sly fox had set the bee in the girl´s bonnet.

It took Snapdragon a whole week to learn to stay calm when her father´s mind touched hers, but she never started to cry again during practice. She was exhausted after three or four attempts in the beginning and their first lessons lasted for only ten minutes, but they made it a lesson after every meal to make up for the shortness of sessions.

By the end of the week Snapdragon was able to allow Severus access to her mind without fear and two days later, she grinned slyly at him after he had withdrawn from her memories.

"Ha!" she cried. "I wanted you to look at that boat trip and you did. I directed you to a memory of my choice! Or was it coincidence?"

"No," Severus smiled and hugged the redhead. "I hadn´t thought of that boat trip in years. You directed me. Well done, my girl."

Snapdragon pouted despite the praise. "You forgot the first time I fed the squid?"

"I didn´t say I forgot; I said I haven´t thought of the occasion."

"What a lame excuse!"

"What does the young lady expect? A celebration in memory of the extraordinary occasion every year?"

"Now you mention it," grinned the girl, "that memorable day happens to have been the 30th of July. One day before my birthday. So it´s my squid-feeding anniversary today."

Severus couldn´t supress a grin. "And what do you have in mind for the celebration?"

"I thought of going to the lake and repeating the event. Do we have some scraps to give to the squid?"

Severus wrapped some leftover toast in a napkin and offered his arm to Snapdragon. "My lady, the feast is prepared. Kindly accept my humble company."

"Is our galley ready?" Snapdragon asked in a dramatic tone as she accepted her father´s arm.

"Galley?" Severus froze. "You expect a galley?"

"Of course!"

"Three guesses who will be the slave to row."

Snapdragon giggled. "If you teach me a nice spell to enchant the oars, I´ll do the rowing." She flourished her wand, producing a shower of sparks.

"That I shall do!" Severus promised generously.

By the lake Snapdragon learned how to move tools by magic – "You can use this spell to peel an apple and to make a horse-shoe, depending on the tool you choose." – Severus experienced the first blisterfree boat trip in his life and the giant squid got toast and its arms tickled by a certain young witch.

-x-

The last day of July dawned brightly. Snapdragon was woken by voices from the living room. Albus had come to deliver his birthday gift in person, and he and Dad were chatting while they waited for the birthday girl to wake.

Snapdragon padded out of her bedroom in her night dress and her bathrobe.

"Good morning," she yawned.

"Happy birthday!" the two wizards chorussed. Dad pulled her into a tight hug and Albus beamed. "Did we wake you?" Dad asked before planting a kiss on the girl´s hair.

"Not really," lied the redhead.

They had a small feast for breakfast, after which Snapdragon returned to her room to get dressed for the day. When she returned to the living room, the empty dishes on the table had been replaced by several parcels.

Snapdragon opened them slowly and with gusto. She took her time to look at every gift closely.

"I never meant you have to be that slow when I said it´s impolite to tear a parcel open like a drunk mountain troll," said Dad at one point.

Snapdragon smiled. "You were right, it´s impolite." The girl remembered their conversation from some years ago only too well. "But you didn´t tell me that opening them slowly is like bathing in the love they were wrapped with."

Dad gaped at the girl, but Albus rubbed his hands with glee. "A very clever daughter you have, Severus. Very clever. Bathing in the love, that it is."

Snapdragon got a gift token for a trip to Madam Malkin´s from Dad ("Let´s go when Harry is here, I´ve got one for him, too."), a new basket for her cat, a big box of sweets and a small black velvet box.

"What´s that?" she asked curiously.

"Open it and find out!" Dad smiled.

Snapdragon did so and uttered a squeal of delight when she discovered a delivate silver chain with a small silver locket. She had gotten jewelry only once before!

Dad seemed to read her mind. "Seeing that you´re a young lady now, I decided it was time to give you a lady present."

"It´s beautiful, Dad!" squealed Snapdragon. "Can you help me put it on?"

Dad insisted on first explaining about the gift. "It´s a magical photo storer. You can keep pictures of your loved ones in it. And Albus and I added protective spells. It won´t help against really bad curses, but it will buy you time in minor fights. Given your power that should do the trick."

"How many photos can I put inside?" Snapdragon asked curiously.

"Not very many," Dad blushed. "I put your old father inside for a start. There is room for about ten more."

"There´s already a photo in there? Show me!" Snapdragon tried to open the locket.

"Aaah!" drawled Dad. "I forgot to mention that the lid is protected. You need to rub it with your thumb thrice and think the words ´show yourselves´."

Snapdragon did as instructed and the locket fell open. The girl had worried that the photo would be tiny, but her fears were uncalled for. As soon as the locket opened an image of Dad, about twenty centimeters high, formed in midair above the the locket. Photo-Dad smiled and waved at the girl.

"That´s beautiful!" cried Snapdragon. "Will you help me to add Albus and Harry?"

"Of course! Albus, if you please?"

The old wizard stood and straightened his robes and beard with his hands. "Do I look good like that?" he asked.

Snapdragon assured him that he looked perfect and then Dad showed her which spell to use to get an image of Albus into the locket.

As soon as the headmaster´s photo had been taken, Dad helped the girl to put on the locket. She thanked him with a tight hug and then she resumed opening her presents.

There were sweets from Ron and Hermione, cauldron cakes from Hagrid, an training snitch from Albus (worked like a normal snitch but could be called to its owner by a spell) and a small package from Harry.

In the package was a small packet of sugar and six eggs. And most importantly, a letter.

_Dear Snapdragon,_

_Aunt Petunia refuses to take me to town to get you a birthday present. She only let me walk to the grocer´s in Little Whinging. I´ll bake you a birthday cake when we meet again, if you have the flour and you can organize us to use the kitchens. _

_I´m sorry it´s not more,_

_Harry_

"Do you think he really knows how to make a cake?" Snapdragon asked curiously.

"I guess so," said Albus. "His aunt is a housewife. She´ll probably know how and pass the knowledge on to Harry and his cousin."

Snapdragon spent the rest of the day with Dad. Although the wizard usually spent some hours brewing every day he forewent his work on her birthday and they had a picnic by the lake. As the day was warm and sunny, they even went swimming. By the end of the day Snapdragon was exhausted, but happy.

Tomorrow Dad was going to get Harry. Snapdragon could hardly wait to see her brother again.


	19. Mrs Norris

**Mrs Norris**

"Bars! There were bars in front of his window, Albus!"

Severus was livid. He had gone to Little Whinging to pick up Harry right after breakfast and to say the trip had been unpleasant would have been an understatement. Petunia had recognized her sister´s old friend and admirer immediately and although she had no objections to getting rid of her nephew early, she was determined to make Severus as uncomfortable as possible.

First she insisted Harry finished his task of washing the breakfast dishes while Severus waited in the hall. Then she refused to let Severus help the boy pack. When Harry took longer than fifteen minutes to get his belongings from upstairs, Severus had had enough and stomped past the woman, wand in hand.

He hadn´t needed to look for the boy´s room. There was a door with several locks, all of them outside. Severus shuddered when he understood that Harry had been locked in his room during the summer. He banished the locks with a wave of his wand and entered the room. It was barely bigger than Severus´ pantry. The furniture was old and broken in places. Harry was lying on his belly, his torso disappearing under the bed.

When the boy heard the door, he scrambled to his feet immediately.

"Oh, it´s you," the child smiled. "I thought it was aunt Petunia. You gave me a bit of a shock."

"Why´s that?" Severus asked as casually as possible.

"She usually doesn´t come to my room and I thought I had given away my hiding place." The boy knelt and retrieved some textbooks from under the bed. "I´m not allowed my school things in my room, but I have to do my homework," he explained awkwardly.

"Where´s the rest of your school things?"

Severus fetched them from the cupboard under the stairs. They were in a trunk, which was standing on an old matress. Shuddering, Severus remembered that Snapdragon had slept in that cupboard in that other universe. The matress answered the question, whether Harry had suffered the same fate.

Severus levitated the trunk upstairs and helped Harry – with a spell it was quick work – to pack his things. Then he shrunk the luggage and held his arms open for the boy to apparate with him. Harry wrapped his arms around the older wizard trustingly and a moment later they were in front of the school´s gates.

The potions master sent Harry to the dungeons where Snapdragon waited for them. He himself rushed to see the headmaster.

"I´m sure Petunia had them fixed for Harry´s protection." Albus smiled benignly.

"For Harry´s protection? Don´t be ridiculous, Albus!" fumed Severus. "Petunia hates magic and you know it! She hates magic and she hates Harry!"

"I can´t believe that. He´s her blood!"

"Blood! Petunia doesn´t care for blood as long as it´s not her very own. Do you remember how I told you about Snapdragon sleeping in a cupboard? Petunia has a matress in her cupboard! – Harry can´t go back!"

"He will have to, my dear boy," Albus said sadly. "Keeping him away from Petunia would mean make Lily´s sacrifice worthless."

"I don´t give a damn about Lily´s sacrifice! This is about Harry. There are other means of protection than Lily´s blood magic."

"I agree on that," admitted Albus, "but none of them is as fool-proof as Lily´s blood magic. Therefore he will go back to his family next summer."

"That remains to be seen!" fumed Severus.

"He will," the headmaster said firmly. "But for now, go, and tend to your guest."

-x-

Severus muttered under his breath all the way downstairs. The closer he came to the ground floor, however, the calmer he became. Next summer would be dealt with next year. Now, Harry was here and safe.

The potions master didn´t go down to the dungeons, but turned to the kitchens instead. Loud giggling told him his guess had been right.

A group of house elves were watching anxiously from afar as Snapdragon and Harry were baking a cake. The two children were surrounded by a cloud of flour. Harry, who seemed to be in charge of the bowl, was flanked by a very giggly Snapdragon and a brave elf, who tried to take the bowl from the boy, to no success.

"Professor Snape, Sir," cried the little creature when it spotted the potions master, "little wizards won´t let Mindy help!"

"It´s all right, Mindy," the potions master replied kindly. "This is not about the cake, but about the making. You will be allowed to tidy the kitchen later."

"Thank you, professor Snape, Sir," cried the elf.

"Dad!" Snapdragon beamed at her father. "Look! Harry´s baking a chocolate cake for me!"

"Amazing," smiled Severus. "How come you know how to make a chocolate cake, Harry?"

"Aunt Petunia showed me," muttered the boy.

Severus couldn´t help the impression the boy didn´t like the question.

"And he´s doing it the muggle way!" cried Snapdragon, oblivious of her half-brother´s discomfort.

"And is he teaching you how to do it?" asked Severus curiously.

"Of course," said Harry. "That´s part of the present."

"Ah, knowledge is a very valuable present," Severus pointed out. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he squeezed the boys shoulder.

"No, thank you. The cake is nearly ready." Harry filled the dough in a cake-tin and went over to the oven. "Now we wait," he explained.

-x-

They had Harry´s cake as dessert after lunch. Snapdragon squealed with delight after her first forkful.

"That´s wonderful, Harry! Probably the best chocolate cake I ever had."

Harry blushed at the praise. "I´m sorry I couldn´t get you a bigger present," he mumbled.

"Are you mad?" scolded Snapdragon. "This is the best present I got. No offence intended, Dad."

After they had finished their cake, Snapdragon and Severus fetched the presents they had gotten for Harry. The boy thanked Severus for the gift token for clothes politely. Snapdragon´s present, a self-refilling ink well, was received with more enthusiasm. A little later Albus joined them and brought Harry his very own training snitch as a birthday present.

Severus accompanied the children to the Quidditch pitch in the afternoon, where they played until they both were exhausted. They went to bed without protest right after a quick dinner.

-x-

August went by quickly. It was filled with games and laughter for all three of them, Snapdragon, Harry and Severus. The small family went swimming in the lake or to the Quidditch pitch every day. Sometimes Severus took the children to the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest to collect all kinds of potion ingredients.

Hagrid showed them some of the more harmless creatures he was caring for, nifflers and kneazles and bowtruckles. In late August he showed them a newborn hippogriff, but didn´t allow them to go near it. "Its Mom won´t like that," he growled.

One day they went to Hogsmeade with Albus to shop for the clothes Severus had given them tokens for and in the last week of the holidays the headmaster accompanied them to Diagon Alley to shop for books and other school things.

"Dad, we had breakfast half an hour ago," nagged Snapdragon. "What are we going to the Leaky Cauldron for?"

Dad didn´t grace her with an answer, but led the way to the pub quietly. They had their answer when Hermione fell on Snapdragon and Harry´s necks as soon as they had entered the guest room.

"It´s so good to see you two!" cried the bushy-haired girl. "Isn´t it, Ron?"

"Of course," grinned the fourth Gryffindor broadly.

The whole Weasley family was there but the two oldest brothers, Charlie and Bill. Snapdragon and Harry had to tell the Weasley children all about their summer, while the adults took a cup of tea.

As there was now a big group of grown-up witches and wizards to keep an eye on the children, the adults decided to speed things up a bit by dividing the group.

Severus went to the apothecary´s with the oldest Weasley boy present, Percy, while Albus went shopping for quills, ink, jokes and sweets with the twins, Fred and George. Arthur and Molly Weasley went to Flourish and Blott´s with the Gryffindor four and their youngest daughter, Ginny, who was to start at Hogwarts this year.

The bookshop was crowded due to a blond wizard giving out autographs. Gilderoy Lockhart, huge posters informed the crowd, was a hero of the wizarding world, who dedicated his life to freeing the world of dark creatures, such as vampires, banshees and werewolves.

The man himself sat by a desk in the back of the shop, writing autographs and flashing brilliant smiles at his audience.

The children searched for their books quickly. Harry, Snapdragon and Hermione were fast as they just grabbed a stack from the table saying "Hogwarts, second year". Ron and Ginny followed their father to the second hand book department obediently. They only needed copies of this year´s defence books, everything else was to be handed down from their older brothers.

"You know," said Ron as he leafed through a battered copy of ´Year with the Yeti´, "I always disliked the hand-me-down-system, but now that it´s me who gives Ginny my old books, I quite like it. Giving her my books is like giving her knowledge."

Ginny´s expression clearly told that she didn´t agree.

"Here, Ron," said Snapdragon. "This one seems to be alright." She handed her friend a book.

"Hmm," Ron examined it. "You´re right. Someone drew Lockhart a beard, but apart from that..." He handed the book to his father, who held his children´s prey patiently.

"Where´s your mother?" Harry asked handing the redhead a copy of ´Magical Me´. Somebody had charmed Gilderoy Lockhart´s picture to squint.

"Queueing up for an autograph," snorted the other boy. He handed cross-eyed Lockhart to his father. "I think we have everything we need, Dad."

When they had their books payed and bagged, they went to the front of the store to wait for .

"Where´s your Daddy, redhead," drawled a cold voice from behind them.

Snapdragon and the Weasleys – had gone to tell his wife to hurry – turned. Draco Malfoy stepped out from behind a shelf.

"You´re not so brave without your potions master with you," grinned the blond as he moved closer to Snapdragon threateningly.

"I don´t need my father to get rid of people like you," hissed Snapdragon.

"Leave her alone," hissed Harry.

"Ah, Potter, always in defence of your little sweetheart, aren´t you?" Draco practically purred.

"Be nice, Draco," a deeper voice said from behind and the children turned to see an older version of the blond boy, obviously his father. "Harry Potter, the boy who lived," purred the older Malfoy, an exact copy of his son´s tone. "Finally we meet." He brushed Harry´s fringe aside with the handle of his cane. "Your scar is legend. As was the wizard who gave it to you."

"Voldemort was a murderer, nothing more!" hissed Harry bravely. Snapdragon stepped a bit closer to back her brother up.

"Ah, and this must be Miss Snape. Your father and I are old friends, Miss Snape. Best regards to him. – Ah, and whom do we have here? Hand me down robes, battered books, you must be the Weasleys."

Ron and Ginny glared at the man defiantly, but the blond continued unimpressed. "It is after all well known that the only thing a Weasley ever has in abundance are children." He took Ginny´s paper bag and looked at the books in it. "I wouldn´t let Draco near anything like this." The blond´s voice dripped with disgust. "A pity your father can´t give you better."

He dropped the books he had lifted to look at back into the bag and handed it back rudely.

"Are there any problems children?" stepped between his daughter and the blond man.

"I´m sure there are not," Albus smiled from the door. The twins stood on their father´s left and right like body guards. "Are there, Lucius?"

"Not at all," drawled the blond. "Come Draco, this shop is too crowded. – I´ll see you at work, Arthur."

Draco followed his father, but when he passed Snapdragon, he quickly leaned in and pecked her on the cheek. Snapdragon reacted without thinking and slapped the blond with all her might.

The boy smirked and ran after his father.

"Draco! What was that good for?"

"You should have seen Potter´s face!"

When the group left the book store a little later, they saw buy Draco a huge ice cream at Fortescue´s.

-x-

The new school year settled into a routine quite quickly. Ginny, who had been sorted into Gryffindor like the rest of the family, spent some time with the quartet in the evenings, but made sure never to ask about homework. It seemed the girl didn´t want to rely on any of her older brothers. She glared angrily at Snapdragon from time to time, though the older redhead had no idea why that was.

Hermione laughed, when Snapdragon asked her about Ginny in a private moment in their dormitory.

"She´s jealous! Ron said she talked about meeting Harry all summer and then she came to Hogwarts and was told that Harry has a girlfriend."

"Harry has a girlfriend?" Snapdragon was taken aback. Harry had never mentioned it.

"You, silly!" Hermione rolled with laughter.

"Me? But that´s not true! Malfoy spread that rumour at the beginning of our first year, but who believes him?"

"Well, Ginny does, obviously." Hermione said solemnly. "And I guess many others do, too."

"But I´m not Harry´s girlfriend!" insisted Snapdragon.

"I know that, little sheep. But you have to face the fact that people think so. Merlin, he even visits you in the dungeons from time to time. You´re lucky they don´t know your dad invited him for the summer."

-x-

Another break in their routine were defence lessons. Their new teacher turned out to be none other that Gilderoy Lockhart. Snapdragon thought Albus must have gone mad to hire the man.

Lockhart set them a test the first day asking what they knew about him. Snapdragon read the first two questions before she took out her wand and magically ticked the first answer to each question on the paper. Then she rummaged in her bag for ´Defensive spells´, a book she had found in the library, and started to read.

"Miss Snape," said Lockhart irritatedly, "you can´t use a book to cheat in your test!"

"I´m not cheating, professor, I´m reading. I finished the test." She held the papers out to the man offeringly. Lockhart took them and withdrew to his desk, where he drew a peacock feather quill and started grading Snapdragon´s test, tsking chastisingly from time to time.

The man continued his routine of grading each paper the moment it was handed in, leaving the class sitting in silence, watching him work, for most of the lesson. When only five minutes were left, he got up and addressed the students.

"Some of you have done very well," he praised. "Especially Miss Granger and Miss Patil. Others, on the other hand, have plenty of reading to do. Miss Snape, Mister Malfoy and – most disappointingly – Mister Potter. Mister Potter, given your background, I had thought you might want to learn more about defence."

Harry was livid when they left the classroom. "Just imagine me defeating Voldemort by telling him that this git´s favourite colour is lilac!"

Snapdragon giggled, but only forcedly. Lockhart had assigned them a lot of homework. They had to read ´Wandering with Werewolves´ for the next lesson.

"Want to come to Slytherin house and do your homework with me, redhead?" asked Malfoy as he passed them in the corridor. "You could share my book." The blond smirked at Snapdragon suggestively only to be slapped again. "Ah, I love your passion!"

Before anybody could stop him, Harry had come to his sister´s defence and was rolling on the floor with the blond Slytherin, each boy kicking and hitting the other wherever they could.

"Stop this behaviour immediately!" The boys obeyed at once as Professor McGonagall´s tone left no doubt she was really angry. "Twenty points from each of you! And you will serve detention! Both!"

"Ah!" Lockhart, who had finally come out of his classroom, added. "if I may be of assistance, Minerva, I will supervise Potter´s."

The Head of Gryffindor nodded. "Potter you will report to professor Lockhart after dinner today. Mister Malfoy you will serve detention with ."

In the evening Harry had to help Lockhart with his fanmail for hours. When he returned to Gryffindor tower, Hermione and Snapdragon gave him a summary of ´Wandering with Werewolves´.

-x-

It seemed that Malfoy didn´t mind spending an evening with the caretaker as long as it got Harry into trouble. He continued his teasing the boy about Snapdragon and whatever Snapdragon did to make him leave Harry alone (she tried hexes, threats and even hitting him, which earned her a lecture about ladylike behaviour from Dad), the blond stated he loved the new ´facet of temperament´ and by October started refering to Snapdragon as ´his wildcat´.

The blond staged most of the assaults near the defence classroom as it was widely known that Lockhart was going to jump at the chance of Harry helping him with his fanmail again. To make matters worse, most of the student body seemed to enjoy the constant fight between the two boys, so many students went along with Malfoy´s teasing to see Harry lose his temper.

It didn´t come as a surprise at all that Malfoy tried to get Harry into detention on Halloween. Nor did it surprise anybody that the plot worked. What was a bit unusual was that Snapdragon was in detention with Lockhart, too. Malfoy had chosen to make sure his plan worked by stealing a kiss from the girl. As a result the blond was going to spend not only Halloween at the hospital wing, but also the next few days if he wished to ever obtain an heir.

Snapdragon and Harry were just leaving Lockhart´s office – none of them was in a hurry as Dad had requested them to come to their quarters after Lockhart had let them off and he hadn´t sounded amused – when Harry froze on the spot.

"What is it?" Snapdragon asked curiously, but Harry raised his hand to shut her up. Snapdragon listened, but all she heard was a sound like the wind passing through a keyhole.

"Didn´t you hear that?" asked Harry. "That voice!"

"There was no voice," said Snapdragon.

"There was!" insisted Harry. "It said it was going to get somebody."

"I swear I didn´t hear anything," replied Snapdragon. They discussed the mysterious voice when Harry stopped short again, just after they had turned around a corner.

In front of them the corridor was in a mess. The wall was dirty, the light of the torches reflected in some liquid, which seemed to be red. The floor was wet and worst of all, the corpse of a cat was hanging from one of the torches. Mrs. Norris didn´t move.

Snapdragon hurried closer to see whether they could help, Harry in her wake. From afar they heard the noise of people leaving the Great Hall. How typical for Lockhart to release them only when the feast was over!

"She´s stiff as a board," the girl muttered. "What?"

Harry was tugging her sleeve and when Snapdragon turned she saw that the liquid on the wall was blood, spelling the words ´The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir beware.´

"What heir?" she asked curiously.

"I don´t care," whispered Harry urgently. "but we don´t want to be caught here."

Of course Harry was right and Snapdragon pulled him away into a hidden passage just before the students came around the corner.

They stopped right behind the tapestry of the Silent Sister, a medieval nun, who was said to have tought at Hogwarts in the late 1400s and glared at the students sternly all the time without ever gracing them of one single word. Rumour had it that she had been especially chatty and one of her pupils had spelled her painting silent in a bout of wickedness.

The two children leaned close to the tapestry in order to hear what happened in the corridor. There were gasps first and fearful outcries later. The caretaker accused the assembled student body of murdering his cat and was only calmed down when Albus arrived and examined the stiff cat.

"She´s not dead, Argus," Albus said in his clear, carrying voice. "She´s been petrified, though I can´t tell how."

"I can brew a restoring draught if we can get hold of mandrake jelly." Dad was present, too.

"Funny you mention mandrake jelly," professor Sprout chimed in. "I planned to cover mandrakes with the second years and therefor have some seedlings."

The professors took the petrified cat away and the students went on to their houses. Snapdragon pulled Harry further into the passage and down to the dungeons. They managed to reach the Snape quarters unseen and went to the kitchen to get a bite before Dad arrived.

-x-

Dad came home half an hour after Snapdragon and Harry. He looked exhausted. Snapdragon hurried to bring him a goblet of butterbeer.

"You need to be careful," Dad sighed after a big gulp. " was attacked and petrified and not even Albus can tell by what. I want you to be very cautious."

"Is dead?" asked Snapdragon. She didn´t know what ´petrified´ meant exactly.

"No, not really. She can be saved by a special potion, which I will make later this school year, when I have all the ingredients. But she´s as good as for the moment being. She´s been turned to stone. She can´t move, hear, see, feel. You name it, she can´t do it."

"I wouldn´t want to be petrified," whispered Harry.

"Nor I," agreed Snapdragon.

She snuggled up to Dad and basked in the feeling of being wrapped in his arms for a little while. Dad, however, put an end to the cuddling only too soon.

"Now for why I asked you to see me today. I want to know what you two are thinking you´re doing! You were in detention more often these past two months than the entire last year. And you lost lots of house points, not that I mind that."

The two children looked at each other and then at the older wizard in silent agreement. They weren´t going to squeal.

"Out with it!" order Dad angrily. "You have no idea how close you are to being expelled! Draco was seriously hurt today!"

Snapdragon paled. Expelled? She´d still live at Hogwarts but not be able to finish her magical education! She´d have to watch her peers become witches and wizards while she remained barely more than a squib. Well, perhaps not that, she pointed out to herself, given the power she possessed, but it would be nice to know what she was doing.

"Malfoy started it," said Harry hesitantly. He looked at Snapdragon for permission. The girl nodded. "He thinks Snapdragon is my girlfriend and assaults her to anger me."

"And you have nothing better in mind than to raise to the bait." Dad glared at the boy.

"I can´t let him kiss her!" Harry cried in righteous anger.

"Kiss her?"

Snapdragon confirmed it with a nod. "Malfoy kissed me today. He´s been hinting we were in love ever since we met him at the book store. Harry´s only defending me."

"Merlin, daughter. And you know no better than to beat him up? I thought you to be more subtle. Give him boils on his buttocks or something. Use spells! I want to see him prove it was you."

"Dad!" beamed Snapdragon. "I never took you for a prankster."

"I´m not a prankster. I´m a Slytherin!" growled Dad.

Snapdragon felt a lot better when she and Harry walked up to Gryffindor tower.


	20. The Search for the Heir

**The Search for the Heir**

The next day a note appeared on the board that a duelling club was going to be started the next weekend. Snapdragon put up her name along with the rest of the house. She wished she hadn´t – and she seemed not to be the only one with that sentiment – when she learned the club was going to be run by none other than Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Sometimes I wonder what Albus is thinking," she whispered to Harry while Lockhart droned on about the importance of defensive spells during their regular defence lesson. "I´m sure there are several teachers with much better duelling skills than this git."

"You tell me," muttered Harry. "All Lockhart is good for is autographs."

They and Ron and Hermione – the latter rather reluctant thoug – made sure to stand in the background at the first club meeting. Lockhart stood on a stage and lectured them on the duels he had fought successfully while several rather annoyed teachers lurked in the corners to proctor the students.

Things got interesting when Lockhart announced a demonstration.

"Of course I can´t demonstrate how to duel alone. Therefore I ask you for a warm applause for my assistant, Professor Snape."

The students applauded obediently. Snapdragon smirked. This was going to be fun. She hadn´t seen Dad in combat so far, but she knew one thing for sure. If Dad agreed to assist Lockhart, he had no intention to lose the duel, demonstration or not.

The two wizards on the stage couldn´t have looked more different. Lockhart in his colourful robes looked like a songbird, while Dad in his traditional black looked like a raven. The two wizards bowed and walked away from each other.

After fifteen steps each they turned to face each other and bowed again. Lockhart flourished his wand, but before he could cast a spell Dad had casted his ("Expelliarmus!") and the defence teacher was thrown back several meters and landed on his backside with a loud thud.

Lockhart scrambled to his feet. "What an excellent idea to demonstrate that, professor. Of course it was very obvious to me what you were trying, and I could have easily prevented it, had I chosen to."

Dad smirked at the man. "Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students how to block unfriendly spells."

"Yes, yes. Let´s have a volunteer pair. What about your own daughter, professor Snape? And maybe Harry?" Harry and Snapdragon went to the front.

"You don´t expect Potter to beat up a girl?" came a voice from the background before Snapdragon could follow Harry onto the stage.

"True, true," said Lockhart. "So maybe Weasley?"

"I will take on Potter," Draco Malfoy jumped onto the stage. "It will be my pleasure."

"Very well!" cried the defence teacher. "We have our volunteers!"

He showed the boys how to bow and what was the proper duelling distance. "Now, try to disarm your opponent. Only to disarm!"

Draco was the faster of the two. "Tarantallegra!" he cried and Harry started to dance, seemingly unable to stop his feet.

"Rictusempra!" Harry cast his spell while he continued his tapdancing routine.

Malfoy fell to the floor, rolling with laughter.

"I said disarm!" cried Lockhart over the laughter from the assembled students.

Dad waved his wand at the two boys and ended their spells.

Both stood panting.

"Serpensortia!" Again Draco had cast the first spell. A big black snake emerged from the tip of his wand and landed at Harry´s feet. The boy stared at the serpent, transfixed.

Snapdragon knew of no spell to get rid of the snake, but she certainly wasn´t going to stand by and watch Malfoy take advantage of Harry´s shock. She cast several silent spells at the blond, one of which caused him to start scratching like mad. Another was going to prevent him from sitting properly for several days.

Snapdragon watched Malfoy, satisfied with her spell-work. It was only then when she noticed something was wrong. Everybody looked scared and shocked. Then she heard the hissing noises. They were coming from Harry.

Harry was talking to the snake!

Dad was the first to overcome his surprise and he banished the serpent. Ron got Harry from the stage and the Gryffindor four retreated to their common room at top speed.

-x-

"Why didn´t you tell us?" asked Ron.

"Tell you what?" Harry was bewildered.

"That you are a parselmouth!"

"I´m a what?"

Snapdragon sighed. Sometimes it was so obvious that Harry was muggle-raised. "A parselmouth, Harry. It means you can talk to snakes," she explained patiently.

"Oh that," Harry smiled. "That´s nothing special. I did it before." When he noticed the shocked looks on his friends´ faces, he added "but only once" hastily.

"That´s nothing special?" Ron snorted.

"Harry," Snapdragon explained, shooting the other redhead an impatient glance."that´s very special. The last parselmouth known to the wizarding world was Salazar Slytherin himself! And he lived thousand years ago! It´s a very rare gift."

Harry paled visibly.

"People will think you are the heir!" Hermione looked at Harry pityingly.

"How can I be the heir of Slytherin when I am a Gryffindor?" Harry piped.

Snapdragon shrugged. "I have no idea, but I´m afraid Hermione´s right."

"Why always me?" Harry hung his head.

"I don´t know," Snapdragon hugged her brother. "But you won´t be alone. We promise."

"We promise," Ron and Hermione echoed and joined the hug.

-x-

Hermione was, indeed, right. People looked at Harry suspiciously and some even fled into empty classrooms when Harry walked by. Luckily the boy had his friends who stayed with him no matter what. Nevertheless it was unnerving to be avoided by the whole school. Therefore the Gryffindor quartett used any opportunity to leave the castle.

Snapdragon, Ron and Hermione accompanied Harry to his quidditch practices. Snapdragon usually brought her broomstick and after the training she and Harry raced each other around the pitch. Ron and Hermione had no own broomsticks – not that Hermione minded much – so the Gryffindors took turns riding the two brooms they had.

Hagrid invited them to visit and they went to his hut gladly.

"Come to the garden," the gameskeeper beamed.

The children followed and the half-giant beamed with pride when he showed them a small area surrounded by a fence. A group of twelve chicken were picking corn and among them two young roosters pranced around.

"Aren´t they beautiful?" Hagrid grinned happily.

"Hagrid, those are common chicken." Snapdragon pointed out.

"I´m not talking about the chicken. I´m talking about the roosters. They are still young, but once they´re old enough they will be able to breath fire and your father, young lady, will be very grateful, if I give him a feather from their tails occasionally."

"Fire breathing roosters?" sighed Ron. "Why am I not surprised?"

Hagrid laughed happily. "Come here, Bertie and Chris! Good boys!" he rummaged in the pocket of his coat and threw a handful of chicken food. "Good boys!"

The two roosters ran after the flying corn and picked it up eagerly. One of them hiccuped and some sparks surrounded his beak.

"That´s my boy, Chris!" Hagrid seemed to have forgotten the four children.

"May we feed them, too?" asked Snapdragon.

"Of course!" Hagrid disappeared around the corner of his house to return with a small bucket full of chicken food. "One handful each."

The four Gryffindors grabbed some chicken food and sent the hens and roosters running around.

"Now that was fun," beamed Hagrid and invited them inside for some tea.

-x-

"Now, what´s up?" Hagrid asked merrily as he handed Ron a cup of tea. "I heard life´s quite exciting up at the castle this year."

Harry blushed and hung his head. Hagrid had heard.

"I wonder what attacked the cat," Hagrid went on. "Must be an interesting creature. Pity not even Dumbledore knows what it is."

The half-giant changed topic to other interesting creatures then and the attacks at the castle weren´t mentioned all afternoon. Snapdragon was glad about the break.

-x-

On their way up to the castle the Gryffindor four met their pet hate, Draco Malfoy. The blond was sitting on the stairs in front of the castle with his best friends, Crabbe and Goyle. The boys looked as if they were waiting for something.

"Hello, love," drawled Malfoy and rose when the Gryffindors approached. "I´ve been waiting for you."

Harry stepped closer to his sister protectively, which made the blond laugh. "Potter, when will you understand that you have nothing to offer compared to me."

"Malfoy," spat Snapdragon, "even a slug has more to offer than you."

Her friends giggled as Malfoy blushed with anger.

"You may laugh at me," hissed the blond boy, "but sooner or later I´ll teach you to behave properly. But," he added in a merrier tone, "no harm done. I like your temperament, sweetheart."

Snapdragon glared daggers at the boy. "Ignore the idiot," said Hermione and led the group past the Slytherins. Snapdragon followed her friend willingly, but at the entrance she turned around and shot an itching hex at Malfoy.

"Ah!" cried the blond and moved his hands all over his torso, "you´re making my skin tingle, love."

A moment later he was rolling on the floor crying out in pain. The rest of the Gryffindor quartett had added their own itching hexes.

Snapdragon stepped closer to the blond. "I love the sounds you make when I make your skin tingle, love," she spat. "I´d take him to the hospital wing if I were you," she stage-whispered to Crabbe and Goyle, who were staring at their friend helplessly.

-x-

"I thought of something," said Ron.

They were sitting at the Common Room, writing their Herbology essays.

"Do tell," grinned Harry.

"Everybody thinks Harry is the Heir of Slytherin. But we know he isn´t. This should make us think who is. Obviously the heir must be here at Hogwarts. So, who is it?"

"There´s no way to know. I guess the heir won´t make an announcement at dinner," shrugged Hermione.

"Malfoy´s more cheeky than ever," mused Snapdragon. "He´s so sure of himself. Do you think he is the heir?"

"Malfoy?" laughed Ron. "That piece of crap the heir of Slytherin?"

"Why not?" said Harry. "He knew that he was going to Slytherin all along. How could he be so sure when he´s not the heir of Slytherin."

"Nonsense," said Ron. "His family has been in Slytherin for generations, just as mine has been in Gryffindor for ages."

"My dad is a Slytherin and I´m in Gryffindor," Snapdragon pointed out. "I hoped that the Hat was going to put me in dad´s house, but I never felt sure about it. And I was right not to be. But Malfoy was sure."

"If he is the heir, how do we get a proof?" asked Hermione.

"Well, when he speaks to Snapdragon the next time she could ask," Ron suggested with a smirk. "Draco, love," he added in a high-pitched voice, "do tell me, are you the heir of Salazar Slytherin?" He giggled.

Snapdragon slapped the other redhead playfully. "I will not do such a thing!"

They laughed and giggled for a little while, before they returned to discussing their problem in earnest.

"There is a way," said Hermione, "but it´s difficult and we´d be breaking hundreds of school rules."

"Do tell!" The others were all ears.

It was decided that Snapdragon would nick the recipe for polyjuice potion and the others the ingredients. As the Gryffindor four liked potions, brewing polyjuice was going to be a splendid project.

-x-

Snapdragon sat on the sofa in the Slytherin Common Room with Harry and Ron. Hermione had backed out of the plan at the very last minute and they couldn´t affort to waste their hour of impersonating Slytherins. Harry was Gregory Goyle for the time being and Ron Vincent Crabbe. Snapdragon herself impersonated Pansy Parkinson.

The whole work had been for naught. Malfoy wasn´t the heir of Slytherin and he had no idea who he was. The blond was angry, as his father seemed to know about the heir, but had refused to tell him.

The only tiny bit of information they had gotten so far was that the Chamber of Secrets had been opened fifty years ago. So the heir had to be an older person.

"What I´d like to know," said Harry/Gregory, "is why you´re making such a fuss about the Snape girl, Draco."

Draco chuckled. "I thought that would be obvious. She´s Potter´s girl. I want to see his face when I take what he considers his."

"But she´s a halfblood!" cried Pansy/Snapdragon.

"Who cares! It´s not as if I was planning to marry her." Draco smirked. "There are better candidates for that." He looked Pansy/Snapdragon in the eyes unblinkingly and the girl had to suppress a shudder.

"That was scary!" she cried when she, Ron and Harry were on their way back to the girls´ bathroom where they had brewed their potion.

"I can´t wait to tell Hermione!" added Ron.

Hermione, it turned out, wasn´t interested in anything they had to report. Hermione had put cat hairs into her potion by mistake and was now a strange creature, half cat, half girl.

Snapdragon took her unhappy friend to the infirmary, telling the boys off for laughing about Hermione´s tail all the way. Madame Pomfrey sighed. "What did you do now?" she asked exasperatedly.

The four children didn´t want to tell, but when the matron pointed out that she couldn´t heal Hermione unless she knew what had caused her condition, Snapdragon muttered "potions accident."

Dad was called and arrived at the hospital wing within the minute.

"What am I to do with you?" he shouted. "I thought my own daughter would know better than to mess with potions she shouldn´t even know about!"

"Sorry, Dad," muttered Snapdragon. She enviously thought about Ron and Harry who had returned to Gryffindor Tower. It was enough for the two girls to be in trouble.

Severus muttered about the stupidity of children under his breath as he examined the Granger girl´s ears and whiskers.

"You will be able to make an antidote, Dad, won´t you?" Snapdragon asked anxiously.

Severus would have liked to leave the girls in the dark for a little while, but the Granger girl looked so close to panic that he couldn´t bring himself to do that. "Of course, but it will take more than two weeks to brew and it can´t be administered but in very small doses. Miss Granger, be prepared to spend two months at the hospital wing."

Hermione gasped and then began to cry. Snapdragon wrapped an arm around her friend and promised to bring all her homework to the infirmary. At that the other girl calmed down and after a little while she actually started to purr.

-x-

"So," Dad said sternly when Snapdragon and Harry joined him for lunch the next day. It was Ron´s turn to keep Hermione company at the hospital wing. "Would you care to explain why you four experimented with polyjuice potion? Whom did you impersonate?"

"Impersonate?" Snapdragon was scandalized. "All we wanted to find out was whether we could brew it. Call it scientific curiousity." She shrugged. "Well, when Hermione tried it, we found out that we couldn´t."

"Snapdragon Snape! I´m a potions master. That potion was perfect. All Miss Granger got wrong was the hair she added. Now stop lying and tell the truth!" Dad glared at Snapdragon. When the girl stared back defiantly, he turned to Harry.

The boy blushed.

"Harry?" Dad hinted a smile.

Snapdragon had to admit that her father was good. Harry broke down under Dad´s scrutiny after less then two minutes.

Dad chuckled. "You thought Malfoy was the heir of Slytherin? Now, that´s funny. I have to tell Albus."


	21. Secrets Revealed

**Secrets Revealed**

Hermione wasn´t able to leave the hospital wing until March. That was why she missed a memorable Valentine's Day. Professor Lockhart organized cherubs and pink confetti. Actually only few enjoyed the fuss he was making. For Snapdragon, however, the day held two interesting events.

The first was Draco Malfoy presenting her a huge, heart-shaped box of chocolates (the blond smirked at Harry all day long). The second was discovering that Harry owned a diary (Malfoy was teasing him about it.)

Harry told his friends at Hermione´s bedside. He had found the diary in a girls´ bathroom and it had once belonged to a boy named Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle had witnessed a girl being killed by the monster of Slytherin – the creature which had attacked – and Hagrid being expelled for setting the monster free.

Neither of the Gryffindor four believed that Hagrid had opened the Chamber of Secrets. But Hagrid had been there when the chamber had been opened, so they decided to talk to the gameskeeper as soon as Hermione was completely healed.

-x-

It wasn´t a good school year for Hermione. Shortly after she had left the hospital wing, even before they were able to talk to Hagrid, she was petrified by the monster. Snapdragon hoped that Professor Sprout´s mandrakes were going to be ready soon.

-x-

Snapdragon hated to let the boys wander off alone, but after two other students had been petrified – Penelope Clearwater from Ravenclaw and Justin Finch-Fletchley from Hufflepuff – Dad kept a very close eye on her. So it couldn´t be helped. They needed the information from Hagrid and Snapdragon couldn´t go there. In order to give Harry free reign, the girl asked Dad to meet her by Hermione´s bedside in the evening.

"It´s so hard," she said, hoping to keep Dad occupied long enough for Harry to slip out of the castle, "you know I love Harry dearly, but Hermione is my best friend. It´s different with her being a girl. We can talk more openly about some things. And with her gone I have no girl friend left."

"Come on, dear," Dad said soothingly. "You live in a dorm full of girls and there are still the other years. You can´t tell me that you don´t get along with the others."

"Getting along is not being friends," Snapdragon insisted. "Parvati and Lavender are best friends. They don´t really need me around. Ginny Weasley is nice, but she´s absentminded most of the time."

"Do you think she has trouble adjusting to being away from home?"

Snapdragon shook her head. "I don´t think she´s home-sick. There must be something else."

"Pomona tells me her mandrakes are doing fine. You´ll have your best friend back in no time at all," promised Dad.

-x-

The boys came back rather late and they brought disturbing news. Hagrid had been arrested for attacking the students at the school. He had pointed Harry and Ron to the forbidden forest before the minister himself had taken him to Azkaban.

"Spiders!" Ron was still pale. "Spiders as big as cows! I tell you, Snapdragon, it was the most scary thing I had ever seen."

"But it was worth it," said Harry. "The chief spider – Aragog – told us that Hagrid hasn´t opened the chamber. And when it was first opened, a girl was killed in a bathroom."

"A girl in a bathroom?" cried Snapdragon. "You don´t think he was talking about Myrtle!"

Moaning Myrtle was the ghost haunting the bathroom they had used to brew the polyjuice potion. Myrtle and the ever cheerful Snapdragon had never gotten along well and the ghost avoided the girl whenever she could.

"You have to go and ask her," said the redhead. "I can´t come with you. She won´t show herself while I´m there."

"You know her?" asked Harry.

"Don´t forget I grew up in this castle. Of course I know her. But she doesn´t like me. She won´t come when I go with you."

They made a plan what the boys were to ask Myrtle. Then Harry and Ron headed for the bathroom and Snapdragon, with an unhappy sigh, for Gryffindor Tower.

-x-

The whole school was in an uproar when Snapdragon came down to the Great Hall the next day. She joined Harry and Ron at the Gryffindor table.

"What´s all that talking about an basilisk?" she asked curiously.

"Snapdragon!" cried Harry. "We tried to tell you yesterday evening but the stairs wouldn´t let us to the girls´ dormitories."

"You tried to tell me what?"

"Yesterday evening my sister was snatched by the monster!" cried Ron. The rest of the Gryffindor table was all ears. "But Harry," Ron grinned like a lunatic, "saved her!"

"What?" shrieked Snapdragon. She clasped a hand in front of her lips when the other tables started looking. "What?" she repeated a bit lower. "You faced the monster? On your own?"

"We tried to take Lockhart with us!"

"Lockhart?" Snapdragon´s expression told clearly what she thought about that. "Are you mad?"

"He´s the defence teacher!" Harry defended himself. "Whom else should I have asked?"

"Dad? Albus?" Snapdragon asked as if she was asking whether the sky was blue.

"As if any of them would have let me go near the chamber!"

Snapdragon had to admit that Harry had a point. "If they had gone, you wouldn´t have needed to go there at all," she added a bit softer.

"It was an emergency!" Ron came to Harry´s aid.

Snapdragon sighed. She had to accept that she couldn´t be with her brother all the time to protect him. "So, what happened?"

Harry and Ron took turns in telling how they had gone to Myrtle´s bathroom, overheard the teachers about Ginny and fetched Lockhart. Ron had to stay behind with the teacher after a spell misfired – Snapdragon could hardly believe that Gilderoy Lockhart had tried to curse two students – and Harry had entered the chamber alone. He had found Ginny there as well as a memory of Tom Riddle, who had been the heir of Slytherin. The monster, a basilisk, had tried to kill Harry on Riddle´s orders, but Harry had killed the giant snake.

"Ginny has to stay at the hospital wing for a day or two," beamed Ron at the end of the tale. "But she wasn´t hurt at all, she´s only a bit tired. Mum and Dad are happy as hell. They´d adopt Harry if they could."

"And best of all," added Harry, "professor Snape started to brew the mandrake draught yesterday. If everything goes well, the petrified people will be restored this evening."

-x-

Three days later Hermione faced them all down by coming out of the end of the year exams top of the class despite having spent most of the school year at the hospital wing.

-x-

It was agreed – again – that Harry had to spend July with the Dursleys, but Dad was going to get him to spend August at Hogwarts.

Snapdragon spent most of July at the beach. Dad took her to Cornwall, where they lodged at a small hotel for nearly three weeks. Snapdragon was glad that she didn´t have Occlumency lessons this summer. Although she had finally mastered the art she didn´t like it very much and found it rather exhausting.

"It´s a pity Harry can´t be here," sighed the girl as July drew to its end. It was pure bliss to have breakfast outside and hear the sea in the distance.

"You know he has to stay with his aunt. And it´s far too dangerous for him to leave school grounds when he´s with us. I´m sorry," Dad said solemnly. "We´ll try to make Harry´s holiday at Hogwarts special," he promised.

-x-

Later that day Albus appeared on the beach out of nowhere. He only waved to Snapdragon from a distance before he talked to Dad urgently. Dad turned on the spot and disapparated.

Snapdragon got up from the sand castle she had been working on.

"Has something happened, Albus?" she asked, concerned.

"Indeed, my dear. Don´t be afraid, neither you nor your father is in danger. Nevertheless you have to return to Hogwarts today. I agreed with Severus that you can spend the day at the beach and we´ll join him at the castle in the evening."

Snapdragon shook her head. "I don´t think I can enjoy a day at the beach when I know something is wrong. Can we return immediately, Albus?"

The old wizard confirmed that, indeed, they could. Snapdragon showed her godfather the way to their hotel. Albus packed their suitcases and bags, Snapdragon payed for their room (Albus wasn´t so good with muggle money) and two hours after Albus´ appearance at the beach, the girl was back at Hogwarts castle.

When she entered their quarters, she was in for a surprise. Harry was sitting on the sofa, reading a book.

"Harry!" squealed Snapdragon and ran to hug her brother. The hug was returned with equal joy. "Is there something wrong with you? Are you hurt?" Snapdragon disentangled herself from the boy´s arms.

"No, I´m okay," Harry reassured the redhead. "I still don´t know what this is about. I was just watering the lawn for Aunt Petunia, when Dad apparated in and told me to get my things."

"Were there problems with Petunia?" Albus asked Dad who was just entering the living room with a tea tray.

"Not at all. She had no objections to Harry coming here like last year." Dad poured tea for everybody.

"You mean she was glad to be rid of me," said Harry. "They´ve been talking how they wished you´d come for me again all summer."

"Let them talk," Snapdragon squeezed Harry´s hand, "as long you´re with us. Albus, why had Harry to come early?"

Albus sighed. "Harry, I never told you the reason your parents died."

"They died because Voldemort killed them," Harry pointed out, bewildered.

"They did, they did, but why did Voldemort find them? Have you never wondered why they weren´t hiding? Why they hadn´t used magic to keep him away?" Harry and Snapdragon nodded. Dad looked pained.

"They did," Albus continued his tale. "They were protected by the best charm we could find, the Fidelius charm."

"How does that work?" asked Snapdragon.

"Well," sighed Albus, and for once he looked every single year he was. "The Fidelius trusts one person – the secret keeper – with a piece of information. The secret keeper decides who´s to know the information and who doesn´t. Nobody but the secret keeper can pass it on."

"What? But if I know a secret, I can pass it on!" protested Harry.

"Not with Fidelius," said Albus. "Just imagine I kept a secret for Hogwarts. For example how to find the kitchens. I as secret keeper chose to tell Severus about it. So Severus can find the kitchens, but he can´t tell anybody else about them. This is only for me to do."

"And my parents were protected by this charm? So how did Voldemort find them?"

The headmaster looked very sad when he continued. "Sirius Black, your father´s best friend, their secret keeper, told him."

The children gasped. Dad looked murderous at the memory of Sirius Black´s treason.

"But Albus," said Snapdragon. "What has this to do with Harry having to come here early?"

"Sirius Black," Albus informed them solemnly, "escaped from Azkaban this morning. We – the minister and I – are convinced that he´ll try to finish what he started twelve years ago. Harry, you have to be very careful. Never leave the castle alone! We think that Sirius Black will try to kill you!"

"Oh Harry!" Snapdragon threw herself on her brother´s neck and Harry held her as if his life depended upon it.


	22. Security Issues

**Security Issues**

Dad and Albus did everything to distract the children from the fact that a massmurderer was after Harry. (Albus had told them that Sirius Black had killed twelve muggles and a wizard when he tried to run from the aurors after the children had calmed down a bit.)

Dad went swimming with them, Albus taught them some advanced spells (how to make your hair a different colour, how to conjure small things out of thin air and how to make things make funny noises) and Hagrid took them to the forbidden forest twice.

The school year was about to start in two days when Snapdragon and Harry went down to the lake for another round of swimming.

"Is it only me or is the water colder than usually?" asked Harry when they went into the lake.

"Strange, but I think you´re right," replied Snapdragon.

They didn´t stay in the water for long. It simply was too cold to be comfortable. The children had just settled down on their towels to dry off when Harry grabbed Snapdragon´s arm. A group of strange creatures was floating towards them. They were nearly human in shape, but rather tall and gangly for people. They wore hoods to cover their faces and unlike people, they moved a foot above the ground. What was most prominent about them though, was the stench. They smelled like long forgotten food or like the chunks of meat Hagrid used to feed to his thestrals.

"Let´s go to the castle," suggested Snapdragon.

Harry agreed, but they were too slow. The creatures closed in on them and Snapdragon felt cold and desperate. It seemed the creatures took away the warmth and happiness. Suddenly Harry went limp and fell to the ground. Snapdragon was close to panic. What was she to do?

"Expecto patronum!" Dad´s voice roared behind them and a silver animal – Snapdragon was too upset to be sure what it was, maybe a small horse or something – moved between the creatures and the children. The silver beast attacked the creatures and they fled back to where they had come from.

"Are you alright?"

Dad pulled the redhead into a hug and for a minute Snapdragon was allowed to calm down in the warmth of her father´s embrace.

"Harry?" Dad knelt beside the boy.

"Is he hurt?" Snapdragon asked worriedly.

"No, he only fainted. It seems the dementors affect him particularly strong." Dad patted Harry´s cheeks and soon the boy blinked and woke. Dad helped Harry up and took the children down to the dungeons where he ordered hot chocolate for all three of them.

"Chocolate is the best thing to chase away the cold a dementor left behind," Dad explained when the house elf who had brought their cups had left. "You can eat a big chunk, too, but hot chocolate will work faster."

"Who was the woman?" asked Harry after he had taken several sips of chocolate.

"What woman?" Snapdragon asked, bewildered.

"The woman who screamed. You can´t have missed it. She was so loud and fearful!"

"There was no woman screaming, Harry," Snapdragon pointed out.

Severus looked at the boy pityingly. Was it possible? Certainly the moment his parents had died was Harry´s worst memory. Was the boy hearing Lily´s death cry? But then, wouldn´t Snapdragon hear the same? Perhaps, Severus mused, her occlumency protected her. If so, it had been a good thing she had learned it after all.

Severus had no intent to reveal his suspicion to Harry, but the boy looked so scared and forlorn that the potions master couldn´t but speak up. "Dementors feed on their victims´ fear and sadness, Harry. They make us relive our worst moments in order to scare us and feast on our despair. I can´t be sure, but it´s possible that you heard your mother, for her death must have been the worst moment in your life."

Harry looked relieved. "I´m not going crazy?" he asked with a weak smile.

"People hearing screams or other sounds near a dementor isn´t unheard of," Severus soothed the boy.

"And you, Snapdragon? Did you hear anything similar? Your mother died like mine after all," Harry asked his sister.

The redhead shook her head. "I didn´t hear anything. I don´t remember my mother´s voice at all."

Once the children had calmed down a bit, Severus informed the headmaster of what had happened. Albus was livid and rushed down to the gate to have a word with the dementors, who, it turned out, had been sent by the ministry to guard Hogwarts against the murderer Sirius Black.

-x-

Harry and Snapdragon lost no time to inform Ron and Hermione.

Hermione gasped in shock, Ron took the information much quieter.

"Dad told us that Sirius Black had escaped first thing after we returned from Egypt."

"You were in Egypt?" asked Snapdragon. "Wow!"

"Unbelievable, isn´t it?" grinned Ron. "Mum participates in contests all the time and finally, after all those years, she won a mint of money back in June! First they talked about renovating the Burrow – that´s our house – but then they decided we´d never gone on a proper holiday as a family with us being so many. And they took us all to Egypt! Bill showed us some places where he broke curses for Gringotts, where normal tourists can´t go. It was so exciting! – Wait, there was an article in the Prophet. With a photo. We don´t have a camera, so there are no other photos." He rummaged in his pocket. "Ew, Scabbers! Tell me you didn´t nibble my photo!" the boy scolded his pet rat.

The rest of the Gryffindor Four admired the photo – all the Weasleys were standing in front of the pyramids and waving – in detail.

"You took your rat there?" asked Hermione pointing at Scabbers sitting on Ron´s shoulder. "How did he cope with the heat?" The girl had got a big ginger cat and since she was a pet owner now, too, she was interested in everything about animals.

Ron went into a detailed lecture on rat care and Snapdragon went to bed as soon as it wouldn´t be considered rude.

-x-

Being third years now, the group had new subjects. Harry and Ron had chosen Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. Snapdragon had settled on Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy after long consultations with Dad and Albus, and Hermione had taken everything on offer. Snapdragon suspected her friend had been given a time turner in order to cope with her workload, but she didn´t mention it. If she was right, Hermione couldn´t talk about it anyway.

Ancient Runes was a very interesting subject. They studied short texts. Later, they were going to translate ancient spells, but that was too difficult for beginners. Those little stories in the beginners´ textbook were very interesting though, so much better than the boring lectures of professor Binns.

Arithmancy – the art of number magic – was even more interesting and they proceeded quicklier as the lesson was in English. The only setback was that Malfoy was in Arithmancy, too, and he kept giving Snapdragon the eye and mocking her by flirting with her shamelessly. Snapdragon was more than annoyed.

The school year proceeded nicely and it wasn´t before late October that Snapdragon realized something was terribly wrong. As third years they were allowed to go to Hogsmeade on their own, but Harry´s permission form wasn´t signed!

It was sad. Harry, ever the selfless hero, told them to go without him. Snapdragon offered to stay behind with her brother, for she could ask Dad to take her to the shops any weekend, but Harry wouldn´t have it.

The girl, Ron and Hermione were just looking at the Shrieking Shack – Britain´s most haunted building – when Malfoy and his friends cornered them.

"Let the weasel and the mudblood have some private time, honey, and come with me! I´ll show you the village!" the blond suggested.

"Certainly not! Go away, Malfoy!" growled Snapdragon.

"You look cute when you´re angry," drawled the boy. "Where´s your boyfriend? Did you dump him at last or wasn´t the baby given permission to leave the safety of the castle?" Malfoy laughed, but only until a snowball hit him in the face.

For a moment Snapdragon was scared, but then she remembered Harry´s invisibility cloak. After that she watched with glee how Malfoy and his cronies fled the haunted place.

-x-

To say that Dad was furious would have been an understatement.

"Everybody works to protect you, Harry! And you are ready to give up that protection for a trip to a village I´d have gladly taken you to if you only had cared to ask! Sometimes I really don´t understand you!"

Harry hung his head and muttered an apology. Snapdragon took Harry´s hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly.

"It´s my fault as much as Harry´s," she said defiantly. "I wanted him to come to the village, too."

"There´s a difference between wanting something and acting on that wish," snapped Dad. "That was a foolish thing to do, Harry!"

It was too much for the boy. Harry started to sob desperately. "I´m sorry!"

Snapdragon glared at her father. Dad sighed and wrapped the shaking boy in a hug. "Shh," he soothed. "It´s over. I´m sorry I shouted at you. I was so afraid for you!"

"But you´re right!" sobbed Harry. "What if Sirius Black had been there? I could have been killed!"

-x-

The next shock came only one week later. The dementors decided that they deserved a treat and came to the Quidditch match Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. Harry fainted in front of the whole school and hadn´t it been for Albus, who slowed his fall, he´d have been seriously hurt.

The incident had three major consequences.

Draco Malfoy made fun of Harry for fainting mercilessly.

Albus had a bad row with Cornelius Fudge, the minister for magic.

Remus Lupin, the new defence teacher, volunteered to teach Harry how to fend off dementors. Albus agreed that it might be a good idea and asked the teacher to include his goddaughter in the lessons. It was, after all, a well-known fact, that Snapdragon and Harry were more than likely to get into trouble together.

-x-

"What I want to teach you," said professor Lupin, "is very advanced magic. The patronus charm provides a special shield which will protect you against dementors. The incantation is EXPECTO PATRONUM. There´s no special wand movement required. I have a boggart for you to practice. Don´t be disappointed if it doesn´t work at your first try. As I said, it´s very advanced. – Harry, you go first."

Harry watched the teacher open a trunk. Like earlier in the school year in Defence, the boggart turned into a dementor.

"Expecto Patronum!" cried Harry.

A silver mist formed at the tip of his wand and the boy fainted.

When Harry came to, professor Lupin gave him some chocolate. Once Harry was savely tucked into an armchair with his chocolate, the man turned to Snapdragon.

"Your turn." He smiled.

Snapdragon nodded.

"As your biggest fear is losing your father and not a dementor, you can´t practice with the boggart. You have to try the spell without a dementor first. Bringing in a real one is too dangerous, of course. – Whenever you´re ready."

"Expecto Patronum!" cried Snapdragon.

A silver mist, much stronger than Harry´s, left the tip of the girl´s wand. The silver cloud swirled and then manifested in a silver raven. It fluttered around the room and when it found no danger, it dissolved.

"Amazing!" cried the professor. "Well done!"

Harry tried twice more that day before professor Lupin called an end to the lesson. In his last attempt Harry produced something that looked like a four legged animal for a little moment.

-x-

A corporeal patronus? His daughter had produced a corporeal patronus at her first try? Severus raised a brow. He knew the girl was powerful, but that seemed a bit much. He had, after all, never given her more control over her magic than back in her first year. With the inhibitions inflicted on her by the spell Albus had cast all those years ago, she shouldn´t have been able to.

Severus went upstairs to the headmaster´s office. The old wizard seemed to be awaiting him

"Severus, my boy! Sit down and have a cup of tea!" A steaming teapot stood on the desk.

"Albus, I´m not sure whether you heard. Snapdragon produced a patronus."

"A patronus on her first attempt," the old wizard corrected him. "She shouldn´t have been able to. Did you loosen your control over her magic?"

"No."

"Can you feel her magic?"

Severus concentrated on the bond that linked him to his daughter magically. He had been very aware of it in the weeks after the spell was cast, but over the year it had become a part of him he rarely paid attention to.

"No." He looked at the headmaster in astonishment. "Can it be?"

"Filius said the spell was going to wear off in about ten years. And it has been how long? Nine and a half?"

"We have to warn her. She could cause desaster unintentionally."

Albus nodded and sent a house elf to fetch Snapdragon. The girl arrived only minutes later.

"Albus, Dad! Is there something wrong?"

"Not at all, dear child!" beamed Albus. "We only deem it necessary to warn you. It seems the spell that restricts your powers has worn off."

"Oh! I thought that wouldn´t be before next year."

"It´s quite possible that with your magic being so strong the spell was ended early," Albus pointed out.

"I don´t feel your magic any more," added Dad. "You know what that means, dear, do you?"

"I have to control it myself." Snapdragon couldn´t but feel a bit scared.

Dad nodded. "You have to be careful. Don´t show how powerful you truely are."

Snapdragon promised to act on the advice before she returned to her friends.

-x-

She arrived at the tower in time to witness a quarrel between Harry and Ron on one side and Hermione on the other.

"What´s this about?" asked the redhead and dropped into an armchair.

"Harry refuses to hand in that map Fred and George gave him to professor McGonagall," hissed Hermione.

"Why would he!" cried Ron.

"Can´t you see how dangerous it is?" Hermione shouted back.

Several of their housemates craned their necks to see what the noise was about. Hermione smiled at them apologetically and continued to nag at the boys in a lower voice. "Just imagine it in the hands of Sirius Black!"

"Black won´t come to our dorms to get it out of Harry´s trunk!" Ron glared at Hermione angrily. He had recovered from the shock of his twin brothers giving the little treasure to Harry and not him quite well when he saw that Harry was ready to share.

-x-

But Black did come to Gryffindor Tower. He entered the third year boys´ dormitory with a knife, but missed the right bed by one. Instead of Harry he found Ron. The redhead managed to scream for help and Black fled.

Hermione and Snapdragon both urged Harry to hand the map in, but the boy insisted that Black hadn´t gone for a trunk, so he probably didn´t know Harry had the map at all.

-x-

Malfoy stayed away from Snapdragon for a while after the incident at the shrieking shack, but as the school year wore on, he got bolder and bolder. By June he was back to his usual unpleasant self, cornering Snapdragon in the corridors, calling her his ´sweetheart´ and hinting he was madly in love with her only to laugh to her – or even better Harry´s – face a moment later.

Snapdragon remembered her father´s advice and let the blond be despite she would have been able to scare the living daylights out of him by a mere wiggle of her finger. She had started practicing wandless magic in secret after Dad had lost his control over her power. The girl thought it couldn´t hurt to be independant from her wand, just in case Malfoy ever managed to surprise her.

The school year was nearly over and the Gryffindor four were halfway through their exams. Snapdragon waited for Harry after his Divination exam. Her Ancient Runes paper hadn´t taken that long and she had already eaten when Ron had come to the Great Hall and told her that Harry had been last to be called for his exam. Hermione was nowhere to be seen, but Snapdragon didn´t go looking for her. If her suspicions were right and the other girl was working with a timeturner – Snapdragon had been fascinated by the concept the moment she read about it in one of Dad´s books – she wasn´t allowed to admit it anyway, so why make secrecy hard for her friend? Instead she left Ron to his meal and went up to Sybil Trelawney´s tower to wait for her brother.

Harry slid down the silver ladder in a hurry. Why was the boy so upset?

"She made a prediction! Not that rubbish she usually utters, a real prediction."

"How can you tell the difference?"

"Her voice went all strange and she didn´t remember afterwards."

"What did she say?"

"She talked about somebody being hurt and a servant returning to his master! And an innocent being saved."

"We have to tell Albus!" Snapdragon could tell this was important although she normally didn´t believe a word the resident seer said, but Harry had said it was different this time and Snapdragon trusted in his judgement.

"Can you?" asked Harry. "I´m starving! I´ll come up to his office as soon as possible!"

Snapdragon agreed and took off for the headmaster´s office while Harry headed for the Great Hall. She didn´t get far, though.

"Hello, my love," drawled Draco Malfoy from behind. He snatched Snapdragon´s wand from her pocket and slid his other arm around her waist. The girl struggled to free herself, but Malfoy threw her wand aside and now used both his arms to strenghten his grip on the redhead. "Mmh! I love to feel your body wiggling against mine."

Snapdragon screamed with fury and tried to bring her heels down on Malfoy´s toes.

"So passionate!" whispered the Slytherin into the girl´s ear.

Snapdragon snapped her head back with all her strenght. She noticed with glee how she collided with Malfoy´s face. The boy´s howl of pain told her she had hit home. Quickly she used her opponent´s distraction and disentangled herself from his grip.

"Oh no, you don´t!" cried Malfoy. He had his wand out and summoned Snapdragon´s. Where had he learned that? "Come here! If you´re good, I won´t hurt you. Or at least not too much." He pointed his wand at Snapdragon threateningly.

What was Snapdragon to do? She had to tell Albus about the seer´s prediction! And she certainly couldn´t let Malfoy hurt her! Snapdragon made her decision and cast a silent, wandless Expelliarmus at her attacker.

The boy´s eyes lit up with greed. "Impressive, love! Really impressive! You definitely are too good for Potter. I can hardly wait for you to be mine!"

That was too much for Snapdragon. She threw a stunning spell at the blond. Unfortunately, Malfoy hadn´t been all alone. The girl was hit by a stunner herself from behind. Vincent Crabbe collected both their wands and Gregory Goyle ran to the hospital wing for help.

-x-

When Snapdragon came to, she found herself in the hospital wing and strangely enough, Harry, Ron and Hermione were there, too. Ron and Harry lay in bed like herself. Hermione sat on the edge of Snapdragon´s bed.

"Here you are! Welcome back!" the bushy-haired girl smiled.

"What happened? Where is Malfoy?" asked Snapdragon, still feeling a bit dizzy.

"Malfoy got a dose of dreamless sleep. The headmaster suggested it," grinned Ron.

"He didn´t hurt you?" Harry asked with concern.

"I feel fine," said Snapdragon, "but how come you´re here?"

They told her a weird story about how Ron´s rat had been a wizard and Sirius Black was Harry´s godfather and innocent. Harry and Hermione had used the girl´s time turner – Snapdragon was a bit proud she had guessed right – to save him when he had been caught by the dementors.

"Hermione was amazing!" beamed Harry. "She helped me free Sirius! The minister wanted to have him kissed by a dementor, but thanks to Hermione Sirius escaped."

Hermione blushed at all the praise. "Harry was good, too. He produced a patronus strong enough to chase away more than hundred dementors!"

"It´s a stag!" beamed Harry.

"Did you catch Scabbers?" asked Snapdragon.

The other Gryffindors looked subdued.

"Your Dad and professor Lupin came to our aid, but professor Lupin forgot his potion and Peter Pettigrew escaped," said Hermione.

"Which potion?" asked Snapdragon.

"He´s a werewolf," said Ron.

"And who´s Peter Pettigrew?"

"Scabbers," chorussed Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Sirius had to go into hiding when he escaped," added Harry.

"Professors Snape and Lupin will testify they saw Peter Pettigrew and everybody will know he´s innocent," soothed Hermione.

"So, what about Malfoy?" asked Harry.

"He attacked me. I was able to stun him, but somebody hit me from behind."

"Crabbe and Goyle," Ron said gloomily.

"Probably." Snapdragon sighed. She had to tell Dad that Malfoy had seen her do wandless magic, and soon.


	23. The Triwizard Tournament

**The Triwizard Tournament**

Two days later Harry had to go home to Privet Drive. Albus and Dad promised to do everything in their power to prove Sirius Black´s innocence to the ministry. Harry was excited. If the two men succeeded, he was going to be able to leave his aunt´s for good and live with his godfather.

Only a week later Dad came home with depressing news, though. Albus and he had agreed that they couldn´t afford Dad to testify against Peter Pettigrew in case the evil wizard ever came back and the ministry didn´t believe professor Lupin´s testimony because he was a werewolf.

Albus had contacted Sirius Black and informed him. The man agreed that Albus couldn´t risk losing his man in the evil wizard´s organisation and consented to stay in hiding. He only regretted to not be able to give Harry a home, but he was relieved to learn that Harry usually spent only some weeks with his aunt and uncle.

This summer Dad took Snapdragon to Iceland to study gnomes and geysers. It was fun and the girl learned a lot about the little creatures. Nevertheless she could hardly wait to return to Hogwarts and meet Harry again.

Dad went to Privet Drive for Harry in the morning of August, 1st, like every year. Albus allowed Sirius Black on Hogwarts grounds and they spent three weeks having fun. For some reason the girl didn´t understand and the men didn´t care to explain, Sirius Black and Dad didn´t seem to like each other very much and only stayed on civil terms for Harry´s sake.

Whenever they went swimming – for some unknown reason Albus insisted on coming every single time – Dad and Sirius Black ended up in a water battle which was fierce enough to make the onwatcher believe they were trying to drown each other.

A week before the new term started, Sirius had to leave, because Albus didn´t want him to be seen by the other teachers, especially not by professor Alastor Moody, the new defence teacher.

"Alastor was an auror," said the old wizard when he hugged Sirius good-bye, "we don´t want to cause him an inner conflict."

Snapdragon and Harry were allowed to watch the Quidditch World Cup, which was a quite exciting thing for them. had gotten tickets from a colleague and he had enough to invite not only Harry and Snapdragon, but Dad also.

They met the Malfoy´s at the stadium and Draco smirked at Harry and Snapdragon, but as Dad was there, he didn´t dare say anything. Dad and Malfoy sen. talked for a while. Snapdragon didn´t listen for she felt very uncomfortable around the older Malfoy, whose counterpart in her own world had tried to kill her when she was four.

Some days after the Quidditch World Cup the other students returned and Snapdragon and Harry were in for a surprise.

Albus announced at the feast that Hogwarts was going to host the Triwizard tournament! They had been at the castle all of August and hadn´t known. Dad looked smug when Snapdragon looked at the Head Table to see whether he was as surprised as she was.

All of Gryffindor house wanted to enter the tournament, of course, for the headmaster made it sound as if entering was a very brave thing to do, but the old wizard explained that there was going to be an age restriction.

The other two schools which were going to compete, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, arrived two weeks into term, but the champions of the three schools weren´t going to be chosen before Halloween.

The Gryffindor Four didn´t see much of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students in the weeks running up to the big event. None of the guests was in fourth year because of the age restriction, so they saw them only at mealtimes in the Great Hall and as Beauxbatons had joined the Ravenclaw and Durmstrang the Slytherin table, they saw them only from afar.

By Halloween they didn´t even know the foreign students by name but for Victor Krum, who wasn´t only going to apply for the tournament, but also happened to be a famous Bulgarian seeker. Snapdragon and her friends had seen him at the World Cup.

At Halloween a group of ministry people came to Hogwarts and the Goblet of Fire, a highly magical object was revealed. Those who wanted to apply and were at least seventeen years of age had to put a slip of parchment with their names on it into the goblet.

The assembled student body, but especially the Gryffindors, was in an uproar. Seventeen! That meant that, basically, only seventh years could compete! They had guessed what the required age was going to be ever since Albus had mentioned it, but they had thought the ministry would require them to have passed their OWLs. Seventeen meant that they had to be legal adults!

The only one who didn´t complain was Harry. Although he was a true Gryffindor, he never sought adventure. Adventure usually found Harry.

It found him this time, too. For two days later the Goblet of Fire not only made Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons, Victor Krum of Durmstrang and Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff Triwizard Champion, but also Harry Potter.

Harry was dumbfounded.

The school was in an uproar.

Albus and Dad looked ill with worry.

Madame Maxime and Igor Karkaroff, the heads of the other two schools, threatened to leave.

Bartemius Crouch, the ministry official, reminded them all that the Goblet´s verdict was final. There was no withdrawal. Harry Potter, fourteen year old boy who lived, had to compete.

"How did you trick the Goblet?" asked Ron on their way to the tower. "Not even Fred and George could fool Dumbledore´s age line! You should have told me, I´d have liked a go, too!"

"Don´t be silly, Ron," laughed Snapdragon. "Everybody who knows Harry knows that he didn´t enter."

Hermione agreed. "I think somebody wants to get Harry killed. We have to be very careful!"

Harry snorted.

"Okay," added Hermione. "Not we. Harry has to be very careful. – But we will help you, of course."

Despite Harry´s efforts to act brave, Snapdragon could tell that her brother was scared. She went to see Dad as soon as possible.

"I wish I could do something to make Harry feel better," she sighed.

Dad nodded in understanding. "Why don´t you suggest he write to his godfather? Albus did that right away, of course, but it would give Harry a feeling of actually doing something. He might find it reassuring."

"Thanks, Dad. I´ll do that," said Snapdragon. "Can I bring him for the weekend? Seeing you might be nice, too."

Dad shook his head. "He can´t come to visit as long as Igor is at the castle."

"Why´s that?"

Dad sighed and Snapdragon could tell he was pondering whether to trust her with a piece of information. "You know that I spied on the Dark Lord for Albus before he killed Harry´s parents."

Snapdragon nodded. "You pretended to be one of his followers."

"Right. And Igor actually was one of them. Igor must never learn how close I and Harry are, or the Dark Lord might learn."

"That will be hard for Harry, not to see you all year but for classes."

"I will put him in detention," grinned Dad. "Tell him to be cheeky next lesson."

"You´re a genius, Dad," beamed Snapdragon.

"I doubt that Minerva will agree. For I will have to take points as well, of course."

Snapdragon shrugged. "Auntie Minerva loves Harry. She will suffer a slight loss of house points for him."

"Who said I was going to keep it slight?"

-x-

Every teacher at Hogwarts feared for the youngest Triwizard champion. It was Hagrid, who decided to act.

Harry was deathly pale when he returned to Gryffindor Tower.

"Dragons!" he whispered, nearly too low for his friends to hear. "They want us to face dragons!"

Snapdragon went to the dungeons immediately, but Dad had no suggestions how to get past a dragon with third year spells (they were only two months into fourth year, so relying on fourth year spells seemed foolish).

Harry contacted his godfather, who made some suggestions, but Harry knew none of the spells.

It was professor Moody, who finally came up with a plan. Harry was to summon his broomstick and try to fly past the dragon. Neither of the Gryffindor Four felt very confident about that plan, but it was the best they had.

-x-

It came as a total surprise that Harry finished the first task best. Especially as Snapdragon and Hermione had spent hours and hours practicing summoning charms with him with only little success. It seemed that fear was a strong motivator.

Harry outflew the dragon and captured a golden egg, which, he was informed, contained a hint for the second task.

-x-

Shortly before Christmas professor McGonagall informed Harry that there was going to be a Jule Ball and the champions were supposed to open the dance with their partners. Harry needed two weeks to come up with the courage to ask Cho Chang, a pretty Ravenclaw, and when he finally did, she had already been asked by someone else.

Harry was devastated. Disappointed, he asked his sister to go to the ball with him and Snapdragon agreed. Nobody else had asked her, because the whole school thought she was Harry´s girlfriend, thanks to Malfoy.

Dad took Snapdragon and Harry to Hogsmeade to get dress robes.

"Are you going to the ball together?" asked the shop assistant at Gladrag´s.

The two teenagers said yes and where shown two pairs of matching green robes. Harry´s was dark green and looked a bit like a tuxedo. Snapdragon had to admit that her brother looked really good in it. The girl got robes in the same colour, but they were made of very fine silk and had embroidery in silver and a lighter green.

When the ball came, auntie Minerva herself helped Snapdragon arrange her hair. They fixed it back, so that the girl´s ears weren´t covered, and into a cascade of curls down her back.

"You look so grown up! A little lady!" cried Dad when Snapdragon and her Head of House left Snapdragon´s room. "But there´s a little something missing." He handed Snapdragon a small box.

"What´s that, Dad?" asked the girl.

"Open it and find out."

Snapdragon obeyed and found a silver necklace and earrings with emeralds and rubies.

"Dad!" she squealed. "Those are wonderful!"

"You didn´t think I´d let my little girl go to her first ball and not be the most beautiful lady there?"

Snapdragon fell on Dad´s neck and kissed both his cheeks in thanks.

-x-

Harry wasn´t a very enthusiastic dancer. After the first dance he sat with Ron for the rest of the evening. Ron had asked Hermione too late and she had gone to the ball with Victor Krum instead.

Snapdragon on the other hand danced all night. First she wasn´t too happy about that because it was Malfoy, who asked her to dance after Harry had abandoned her, but then came Philipe, a Beauxbatons boy and danced with her for most of the evening.

Harry came back for another dance around midnight, but it turned out that this was only because Malfoy had teased him.

-x-

The Gryffindor Four spent all winter trying to decipher the clue for the second task, to no avail. Only when Cedric Diggory decided to do Harry a favour as a payback for a hint on the dragons, the boy was able to find out what it was all about.

Seemingly the merpeople in the Great Lake were going to steal something from the champions – Snapdragon wondered who was going to be their accomplice, for the merpeople could hardly come to the castle themselves – and the champions had only an hour to get it back.

The four tried to figure out how Harry was supposed to follow the merpeople into the water, when professor Moody came to tell Snapdragon and Hermione that the headmaster was looking for them.

"Snapdragon, Miss Granger." The headmaster beamed at them. "What a pleasure!"

Snapdragon noticed that a young girl in Beauxbatons robes and Cho Chang were present, too.

"I asked you here, because you´re going be our treasures for tomorrow´s task if you agree. Rest reassured that it is perfectly safe! You have nothing to fear."

Of course they agreed, and Albus put them into an enchanted sleep.

-x-

Snapdragon came to when cool air touched her face. She was in the lake and Harry was gasping for air beside her.

They swam to the shore together and Snapdragon was very grateful for all the swimming during the holidays. She wasn´t sure if she had been able to swim in robes otherwise.

-x-

The third task wasn´t due before June and this time the champions were told in advance what to expect. They had to find their way through a maze.

The Gryffindor Four went to the library to look for useful spells whenever their normal workload allowed it. This time, Harry went to the task not anxious, but confident and well prepared.

-x-

Cedric Diggory was killed in the final task.

Harry returned from the maze with Cedric´s body and the Triwizard Cup. He was in tears and kept repeating the same sentence all over.

"Voldemort is back!"

Everybody concentrated on the Diggories who cried for their son and the frightened students, but the only person Snapdragon could think of was her brother. His face was chalk white and he was shaking with sobs.

The redhead elbowed her way to him.

"Sssshh, Harry, you´re safe," she soothed. "You´re at Hogwarts. You´re safe."

A big hand squeezed her shoulder. "Help me get him out of this racket, Miss Snape," said professor Moody.

Snapdragon was grateful that an adult had come to take care of Harry. Obediently she helped Harry to his feet and pulled him back to the castle. She was a bit astounded that the professor took them to his office instead of the hospital wing, but it was closer, so maybe the professor had a point.

"What happened?" asked the teacher.

"The Cup was a portkey!" sobbed Harry. "He killed Cedric! It´s all my fault! I told him to take the Cup with me!"

"I know that," interrupted the ex-auror. "How was it to stand in his presence?"

Snapdragon was bewildered. What was the professor talking about?

"What was it like to see him in his new body? Did you feel his power?" asked the man.

That didn´t sound like an ex-auror at all! It sounded like the man was a follower of Voldemort.

Harry must have thought along the same lines for he rose his wand, but the teacher was faster. He summoned both, Harry and Snapdragon´s wands.

"He will reward me beyond my wildest dreams when I bring you to him. A pity you insisted on coming, too. If you´re lucky, he will spare you as bait for your father."

Snapdragon didn´t need to hear any more. She concentrated hard and threw a stunner at the man with all the power she could summon.

"He´s out cold," stated Harry and pushed the unconscious man with his foot.

They collected their wands. Only a moment later, the door to the office was blasted away. Albus, Dad and Minerva entered the room.

Minerva clutched her chest. "Miss Snape, Mister Potter! What happened? Please explain."

Albus interrupted her. "I think this explains everything." The man on the floor had started to change.

"Polyjuice!" cried Dad.

The man they had thought was Alastor Moody had been an escaped deatheater! Albus and Dad forced him to reveal the wherabouts of the real Moody before he was handed over to the ministry.

Harry had to retell his story several times that evening. Albus believed him, but the minister didn´t.

What was worst, Dad had to go back to the evil wizard in order to spy again.

Snapdragon begged him not to go. "The deatheater said Voldemort was going to use me as bait for you! He knows you work for Albus! Please, Daddy, please don´t go!"

Dad kissed her on her cheek. "I have to, if you´re ever to live in peace. Don´t be afraid, he was mad at me before, but I was always able to convince him. And if I´m not, you won´t be alone. You have people who love you. They´ll take care of you."

"But I want you!" howled Snapdragon.

"I will come back," promised Dad and left.

For the very first time, Snapdragon wasn´t sure he was going to keep his promise.


	24. Out of Control

**Out of Control**

Snapdragon waited for Dad´s return anxiously, but he didn´t come back by the time her friends and Harry had to go home for the summer. Harry squeezed his sister´s hand reassuringly.

"I´m sorry I can´t wait with you," he whispered before he mounted the carriage taking him, Ron and Hermione to the station.

"You know that Dad will come for you to take you to Hogwarts for August," Snapdragon whispered back.

Harry looked as doubtful and worried as Snapdragon felt.

The girl spent most of the next three days with Albus. The old wizard understood how worried the girl was and tried to distract her by teaching her funny little spells, showing her interesting magical items and engaging her in discussions about various topics without ever touching the one that occupied her mind all the time. He even slept on the sofa in the Snapes´ dungeon quarters to be close to his goddaughter.

They were just having lunch at the headmaster´s office when a cat patronus slipped into the room through the narrow gap under the door.

"He´s here," said Madam Pomfrey´s voice before the cat dissolved in a cloud of silvery mist.

Snapdragon jumped to her feet, spilling her soup in the process, and ran to the infirmary at top speed. Albus was right behind her, which was quite an achievement given his age.

Dad sat on one of the beds and the matron was bustling about him.

"Dad!" cried Snapdragon from afar.

The man looked up at her and for a moment he looked terribly exhausted, but at the sight of the girl his face lit up and he smiled.

"Snapdragon!" Dad stretched his left arm in invitation to come and get a hug.

The redhead hurried to his side, but looked at him closely before hugging him carefully. There were bruises on his right wrist and a reddish substance, which the girl suspected to be blood, encrusted his fingers. He had a cut at the side of his face and his right leg was lying on the bed in an angle that just seemed wrong.

"You´re hurt," Snapdragon stated the obvious.

"It looks worse than it is," Dad tried to smile, but didn´t quite succeed. He turned to Albus. "He was livid for me being late, but I could worm my way out. I´m back in his group."

"Severus," said Madam Pomfrey, "I insist you take your potions now. You saw your daughter and gave the headmaster a summary. Now be a good boy." She held two vials out to the potions master.

"You better oblige," smiled Albus. "We can talk tomorrow. Rest now, Severus."

The younger wizard downed his potions with remarkably little resistance and Snapdragon sat on the edge of his bed until the Dreamless Sleep Potion did its magic and her father slipped off to a healing sleep.

-x-

Madam Pomfrey let Snapdragon stay at the hospital wing over night. The redhead woke several times during the night, anxious that her father was still safely tucked into his bed.

When Dad woke, they had breakfast together and Snapdragon was glad to notice that he looked much better than the day before. Albus arrived when she poured Dad his third cup of tea.

"Snapdragon," said Dad after a short greeting for Albus, "would you mind going down to our quarters and get me some fresh robes?"

The girl was reluctant to go, but Dad´s tone left no doubt it was actually an order.

-x-

This summer was so different from any other Snapdragon had experienced, it was scary. They couldn´t go on a holiday as Dad had to wait for a summons from the Dark Lord.

More than once Snapdragon was sent out of a room to give Dad and Albus privacy. The two wizards had secrets from her for the first time ever, or at least it was the first time Snapdragon noticed. She´d have been very annoyed hadn´t it been for her knowledge that they were working to help Harry fulfill his destiny and overcome the evil creature that had killed his parents.

Dad was summoned twice more, but he never was hurt again when he returned.

July ended and August came, but nobody went for Harry.

"The Dark Lord can´t know how close I am to Harry or he´d ask me to bring the boy to him. And what were I to do then? It´s too dangerous for us both, Harry and me," said Dad. "But Albus is working on something."

-x-

A week later Albus took Dad and Snapdragon to London via portkey. They landed in a small muggle park on a square surrounded by old, rundown houses. Albus led the way to number eleven.

Bewildered, Snapdragon realised, that number twelve was missing.

Albus motioned them to lean closer and after casting a spell to prevent eavesdropping, he whispered "The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is at number 12, Grimmauld Place."

Strangely enough a house appeared between numbers 11 and 13 as soon as he had said that. Snapdragon thought it was a strange spell.

They hurried up the stairs and the door was opened for them by a man with long, untidy black hair. "Good to see you, Albus," said Sirius Black as he stepped aside to allow them in. "Snape. – Young lady."

"Sirius!" Albus embraced the younger wizard. "So good to see you."

"Not here in the hall. Follow me and be quiet."

Snapdragon thought Sirius Black was rather rude, but she obeyed. They were led to a quite large kitchen.

"Sirius agreed that we use his house as headquarters for the Order," explained Albus.

"What Order?" Snapdragon asked curiously.

"The Order of the Phoenix. We fought him last time and when he returned, I called for our members and some new ones. We´ll fetch Harry from the Dursleys as soon as the house is fit to live in. Molly and her family agreed to help and we" – Albus motioned between himself and Dad – "thought you might enjoy staying here, too."

"Harry will come here? And the Weasleys?" Snapdragon beamed. "Of course I want to stay here!"

"Good," said Dad. "I´m glad you´ll have company when I´m on errands."

Snapdragon bit her lips. She still didn´t like those errands.

"Don´t be afraid, girl," said Sirius Black. He squeezed the girl´s hand. "Old Severus will be careful. He has something worth coming back to after all. – Well, the Weasleys are due any minute. I better go to the door."

He had barely turned to return to the hall, when the door bell chimed and a woman started screeching in the hall. Sirius cursed under his breath and hurried to the door, Albus, Dad and Snapdragon followed.

By the time they reached the hall, the man was struggling to cover the portait of a woman that was screaming insults at him at the top of her voice. Dad went to help him after a short moment of hesitation. Meanwhile Albus opened the door and let the Weasleys in.

Snapdragon was glad to see some of her friends and house mates again. There were Ron, the twins and Ginny, but – Snapdragon squealed with delight – also Hermione.

They assembled in the kitchen when Sirius and Dad had succeeded with the hangings in front of the portrait and Albus filled the Weasleys in on his plans concerning the house, the Order and Harry. Sirius explained about the portrait (his mother) and then took them on a tour through the house, assigning bedrooms.

Mrs. Weasley made a cleaning schedule and made the children clean out their bedrooms first thing after Albus and Dad had scanned them for dark magic.

The twins got a room, Ron was to share with Harry and the girls got the largest bedroom as they were three. One bedroom was for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Snapdragon was worried that neither Dad nor Albus got a bedroom at the house, but she was informed that they needed to be seen at Hogwarts, so they were going to be only visiting.

"Hurry with the cleaning," said Dad when he hugged Snapdragon good bye. "For when you´re finished, I´ll go for Harry."

-x-

They did their best to clean quickly, but in the end they weren´t quick enough. The children were just working on a small parlour and Mrs. Weasley had gone downstairs to prepare dinner, when they heard alarmed voices downstairs.

Snapdragon thought something had happened to Dad and went downstairs at a run.

Several wizards were in the kitchen as an Order meeting was scheduled for the evening and many members enjoyed having dinner together before work.

"What´s all this about?" the girl asked Bill, Ron´s eldest brother. "It´s not..." She didn´t even dare speak of it.

"It´s not about your father," Bill soothed her. "Dad just came home from work with the news that Harry has been expelled from Hogwarts."

Snapdragon gasped. "They can´t do that!" she cried.

"Of course not." Bill smiled reassuringly. "Dumbledore was off to the ministry right away."

served dinner to distract the upset crowd. Snapdragon could barely taste the food. What if they really expelled Harry. What if he had to stay with the Dursleys for good? The girl didn´t remember much of her own aunt Petunia, but of one thing she was very certain: she wouldn´t want to stay there.

The second thing that occupied the girl´s thoughts was the question what Harry might have done to give the ministry an excuse to expel him.

Albus returned after dessert. "He´s not expelled," he informed them all. "But there will be a hearing."

After those relieving news, the children were shooed out of the kitchen to leave the adults undisturbed for their meeting.

-x-

Three days later a group of Order members went to Privet Drive to retrieve Harry. The group was led by the real Alastor Moody. The ex-auror was kind to the children, but Snapdragon never felt at ease with him. It was disturbing to talk to a person you thought you knew for a year and actually had only met two weeks ago. If felt equally uneasy he never let it show.

-x-

"So you all sat here and let me rot at Privet Drive!" To say that Harry was angry would have been an understatement. To make matters worse, Dad had turned up with news just minutes before Harry arrived, so the boy wasn´t even greeted properly. "Did you all have a good laugh at me?"

"Of course not!" Ron tried to soothe his friend. "Dumbledore said we weren´t allowed to owl you about where we were. Owls can be intercepted."

"You spoke to Dumbledore and were allowed here, but I was not!" Harry was actually shouting now.

"All we did was clean!" Hermione piped up.

"So the bloody boy who lived isn´t good enough to clean away some dust bunnies!" Harry was beside himself. "I faced that bloody git back there in that graveyard, but I can´t be trusted to clean a bloody town house!"

Hermione was close to tears and even Ron looked uneasy. Snapdragon decided to put an end to Harry´s raging.

"Harry Potter! Stop that now!" she cried, her hands placed on her hips. "You know very well that we´d have loved to have you here all along! And you know that you have to stay with your relatives for some weeks to get that blood protection your mother gave you. Now stop belittling our friendship by accusing us unjustly."

Harry cast his eyes down. "Sorry." He muttered.

Snapdragon wrapped an arm around her brother´s shoulders. "Now, what happened to make them want expel you?" she asked. "Nobody was going to tell us."

Harry told them a scary story of dementors cornering him and his cousin near Privet Drive. "I had to cast a patronus," he ended his tale, "or the dementor would have kissed Dudley."

The others gasped. "Dementors!" Ginny looked frightened, the rest uneasy.

"I wonder who sent them," whispered Hermione. "You don´t think You Know Who controls them?" Nobody was able to answer that question.

-x-

"How´s Dad?" Harry had finally managed to shake off the rest of the crowd and corner Snapdragon alone in one of the many empty rooms of the house.

Snapdragon fell on Harry´s neck. "Oh Harry! I´m so scared most of the time! He returned only after days when he went there first! And he was badly hurt! I can tell though he tried to make me think it was nothing. And he was called several times since then! What if that monster finds out he´s a spy?"

Harry patted his sister´s back soothingly. "He´s very careful. You know that," he whispered.

"Here you are. I was looking for you." Dad had entered the library.

Harry´s face lit up with joy. "Dad!" he squealed and rushed to the potions master. He was embraced and kissed on his hair. Too late they realised that Dad had been followed by another person.

"Dad? So, you´ve finally done it, Snivelly," Sirius said bitterly from the door. "You made the boy forget James! – Harry this man hated your father all his life! I can´t believe you´re calling him that!"

Harry stepped back from the potions master and hung his head guiltily.

"Black," Dad spat back angrily. "At least come in and close that door before you do any more damage. Harry hasn´t forgotten his father!" He stepped closer to the boy and wrapped his arm around him. "You know that he spent part of his summers at Hogwarts with Snapdragon and me."

"But you never told me you have stolen James´ position! And you were right not to! I wouldn´t have allowed it!"

"Allowed, Black?" Dad sneered. "Would you really begrudge Harry the only person he considers a parent?"

"I´m his godfather!"

"His godfather who got himself into Azkaban! Harry asked for permission to call me Dad long before anybody knew you weren´t a traitor."

"You have no right to claim being called his father!" Sirius was furious!

"He didn´t!" cried Harry. "Don´t you listen? I asked him for permission!"

"How can you! He hated James!"

"I didn´t know that and I couldn´t care less! He was always kind to me! And Snapdragon´s my sister!"

"A pity Snivelly couldn´t convince that muggle he got pregnant with his brat to stay with him or you could have played happy family," spat Sirius. "With mummy, daddy and their little darlings!"

Dad and Harry both looked livid, but it was nothing next to the rage Snapdragon felt! "How dare you!" she shrieked and the next she knew was that Sirius slid down the wall she had slammed him into wandlessly.

"Sirius!" cried Harry.

"Did I hurt him?" cried the girl. "I´m so sorry!"

Dad was at Sirius Black´s side in an instant. Their quarrel forgotten, he knelt by the man and started muttering several charms in quick succession. Snapdragon watched from afar. She felt all cold. Tears ran down her cheeks but she couldn´t find the strenght to wipe them off.

Harry stood between his sister and his fallen godfather, looking at them in turn, undecided whom to help first. At last he went to Snapdragon. "Dad will help him in no time at all," he said soothingly, but he didn´t sound like he believed it himself. The boy wrapped an arm around the girl.

Snapdragon felt she didn´t deserve Harry´s embrace. What had she done?

It took more than a quarter hour before Sirius Black came to with a moan.

"What happened?" he groaned. "Was I hit by a hippogryff?"

"It was a spell," said Dad. "Careful. Don´t move too fast. – Harry, come here and help me. Snapdragon, get Albus. We need Poppy."

The children obeyed. Despite his ignorance of what had put him to the floor, Sirius flinched when Snapdragon passed him on her way to the kitchen.

The redhead hurried to the kitchen, where several order members were chatting idly after their meeting.

"Albus!" the girl interrupted her godfather´s conversation with Kingsley Shacklebolt, one of the aurors within the order. "Come quick! We need auntie Poppy!"

"What is it?" Albus, and everybody else in the room, was alert at the mention of the Hogwarts matron.

"Sirius is hurt."

"How can Sirius be hurt in his own house? I thought we checked everything for dark magic?" asked Alastor Moody.

The girl blushed. Luckily Albus understood that whatever had happened to Sirius wasn´t for the crowd to know. "We´ll think about the how later. Now let´s help the man."

"I´ll floo Poppy," said . "She has the secret, I suppose?"

"Yes," said Albus. "Thank you, Molly. Now lead the way, my girl."

He followed Snapdragon upstairs and into the library.

Sirius Black lay on a stretcher Dad must have conjured. Dad was still muttering charms, Harry was holding his godfather´s hand.

Albus took in the scene and rushed to Dad´s side. "I´ll take over, you get the potions he will need."

Poppy came to the library five minutes later. She shooed Albus and Dad aside and started to work on her patient immediately. For nearly a half hour only spells were heard and an occasional order for Dad to hand her a particular potion. When Sirius was no longer in immediate danger, she started to treat his more superficial wounds and as she was able to relax, the matron started muttering about the beast that had attacked and nearly killed the man and how she hoped those excuses for human beings were going to rot in Azkaban.

Harry went over to Snapdragon, who still stood by the door, and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Now, how did that happen? I thought he couldn´t leave the house?" Poppy asked when she was done. The matron looked at Dad and Albus inquiringly.

"I´m afraid it was an accident," said Dad.

Poppy made a tutting noise before she left.

Snapdragon hung her head. She didn´t like that Dad had made the nurse think that he had hurt Sirius Black.

As soon as the door had closed on Madam Pomfrey, Sirius Black made himself heard. "What kind of magic was that? What are you teaching that child, Snivellus."

"Don´t call him that!" cried Snapdragon. Dad laid a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"He´s trying to turn you into a weapon, obviously!" cried Sirius. "Albus, I wonder why you didn´t do anything to prevent it!"

"Sirius," said the headmaster, "there are things you do not know. – Severus, I think we should tell him. He has to understand."

The potions master and his superior told Sirius Black the strange tale of how Snapdragon had been born in another universe, where Lily Evans had prefered Severus Snape over James Potter, and how her parents had died by the hand of the evil wizard Voldemort.

"I watched over her for nearly three years," Dad ended the tale. "Unlike in our world, Privet Drive wasn´t entirely safe in Snapdragon´s. Malfoy went after her. I pulled her through the mist to safety."

"You see, Sirius," beamed Harry, "she´s my sister!"

"You don´t seriously expect me to believe that story," smirked his godfather at Albus and Dad.

"Snapdragon," Albus called softly. "Show him."

The girl knelt by the stretcher the wizard was lying on and lifted her fringe.

Sirius Black´s eyes went big like saucers. "You have the scar!"

Snapdragon nodded. "I´m very sorry I hurt you," she whispered. "I didn´t mean to."

"What sort of magic was that?" Sirius repeated his earlier question.

"It seems," smiled Albus, "that Severus´ daughter is more powerful that James Potter´s son, by far. The magic she threw at you was no different from yours or mine, only unexpected as you never met it in a person so young."

"When she´s so powerful, will she take over the duty of the prophecy?" asked Sirius. "Will she save us?"

"I´m afraid she can´t," said Albus. "This is not her world. As much as we love her and as much as she loves all of us, she´s only a guest in this universe. The prophecy was made about Harry, and Harry only. It´s his destiny to fulfil, not hers."

"That´s why we kept it secret that Snapdragon has the scar. We can´t make her a target."

"Of course not," said Sirius. He struggled to sit. "So, if we have one child of the prophecy too many, what about the other world? Did you steal their saviour, Sni ... Severus?"

"Malfoy would have killed her!" cried Dad. Snapdragon nodded. "The evil man was right behind me. He had killed my aunt. He´d have killed me, too."

"Black," added Dad, "we need you to keep the secret. Please, don´t put my girl in danger."

Sirius smiled. "I wouldn´t place a child in danger, not even my enemy´s. Your secret is safe with me, my Lady." He bowed to Snapdragon.


	25. Dolores

**Dolores **

When everybody had calmed down, Albus informed Harry of the outcome of his intervention with the ministry. Harry paled when he heard about the hearing, but the old wizard reassured him that he didn´t have to do it all alone. Snapdragon, Dad and Sirius Black agreed. Harry had his family to stand by him. Well, perhaps not stand by him, as nobody was to know about their connection to the boy who lived, but they were definitely on his side and ready to help.

Molly Weasley helped in her own way by distracting Harry from his worries by making them clean the whole house. She didn´t use any of the various household spells she must know as a mother of seven, but instead made her children, Harry, Hermione and Snapdragon clean the old Black townhouse without magic.

It was hard work, but as everybody was aware it was to help Harry, nobody complained. Sirius Black kept his house elf, Kreacher, from assisting them, which wasn´t particularly difficult seeing that the elf hated Sirius and his guests with all his heart and rarely did anything to be of assistance other than following a direct order.

The hearing was in late August. Snapdragon wasn´t sure who was more scared, Harry or herself. What if they expelled her brother despite Albus´ interference? What if he had to go back to Privet Drive?

What if they took his wand and made him live as a muggle?

Even Albus was worried. The minister, Cornelius Fudge, never believed that Voldemort had returned in June. He thought that Harry was an attention seeking liar and Albus an old fool when he believed him. Albus´ word didn´t weigh as much as it had in the past. The old wizard even turned up with a squib witness the day before the hearing.

Snapdragon only knew because she had returned to the kitchen for a glass of water after bedtime.

-x-

The hearing went well enough. Harry was cleared of all charges, though Albus wasn´t very happy about how it went. It seemed that the Wizengamot had been undecided and only Albus´ old friend, Amelia Bones, had convinced the assembled witches and wizards that Harry had only used magic to defend himself and his cousin.

-x-

The school year started with another bad surprise. Albus hadn´t found a defence teacher and the minister had installed one of his own followers, a witch named Dolores Umbridge. Umbridge was small and looked rather harmless with her curly hair and pink cardigan, but Snapdragon disliked her the moment they met. The woman was radiating unpleasantness. Snapdragon felt uncomfortabel in her presence immediately. She couldn´t say that her magic was dark, but it definitely wasn´t light either. The girl had never met a person like that.

"Miss Snape," Dolores Umbridge greeted her with a smile that held no warmth. It was about four hours before the other students were due back. Snapdragon had returned to the castle with Dad and Albus instead of taking the train.

"Professor Snape," the small witch continued without waiting for Snapdragon´s reply. "I wasn´t aware I was going to meet students at the staff lunch."

"My daughter grew up at the castle. She´s been attending staff meals ever since she came here."

"So she wasn´t born at the castle?" Umbridge eyed Snapdragon as if she was something the cat had brought in.

"No, she only came here after her muggle mother had died." Dad looked appropriately grieving for his lost love.

"A muggle?" Madam Umbridge ignored Dad´s display of sadness and looked at Snapdragon even more disapprovingly. "Well. So, this child knows all the inner secrets of Hogwarts?"

"Dolores," smiled Albus, but it was a bit forced, "we´re hardly discussing the inner secrets of Hogwarts at lunch. And all of the Hogwarts teachers are like uncles and aunts to Snapdragon."

"How can you guarantee that this girl isn´t favoured over her fellow students? How many of her marks have been given as a favour to her father?"

There was an uproar. Several teacher expressed their anger about being insulted like that.

"My daughter is an intelligent young witch. She doesn´t need favours!" hissed Dad.

"We´ll see," said Madam Umbridge and Snapdragon knew that defence wasn´t going to be easy this year.

-x-

The other Gryffindors looked at Snapdragon in disbelief when she told them the new defence teacher was the worst they had ever had even before they had seen the woman.

"Worse than a deatheater in disguise?" Hermione asked doubtfully. "Worse than Lockhart?" added Ron.

Snapdragon didn´t elaborate for she thought that Madam Umbridge was going to convince her friends within days.

Half an hour later everybody saw Snapdragon´s point. The new defence teacher interrupted Albus´ welcome back speech to make one of her own and by the end of it Harry, Ron and Hermione agreed with the redhead that Umbridge was, indeed, worse than a deatheater in disguise.

Their first defence lesson showed that they had been right. The woman didn´t want them to learn magic at all, she presented them with textbooks fit for five year olds (there actually was a picture of a werewolf sitting with its tail wrapped around its paws on the cover!).

"Please, professor," Harry asked in disbelief, "when are we going to practice spells?"

"Whatever for, Mr. Potter?" the teacher asked. "You need to prepare for your OWLs and there won´t be any spells required. If you follow my curriculum diligently, you´ll pass your exams easily enough. But we can´t afford to waste time."

"But we need spells to defend ourselves!" protested Harry.

"Against what? Who or what would attack young children like yourselves?"

"Uhm, Lord Voldemort?" Harry asked. Snapdragon had never heard her brother speak with so much sarcasm.

"The Dark Lord is dead," Madam Umbridge didn´t sound as sweet as before. "Everybody who says differently is a liar. Don´t let those people disquieten you."

"But I was there!" insisted Harry.

"Mr. Potter," the professor was definitely upset now, "don´t you think you gained enough attention? You really should drop that ridiculous story. It´s no longer interesting."

"Harry´s telling the truth!" cried Snapdragon.

"And you know that because?" Madam Umbridge looked at the girl pointedly.

Snapdragon blushed. She couldn´t tell about Dad´s spying. She hadn´t been at the graveyard, so what was she to say? "I know Harry. He isn´t lying," she said defiantly.

"We know you know him well enough," smirked Draco. "Snogging doesn´t make a honest man, you know."

"You toad!" cried Snapdragon. She was about to hex Malfoy, but then she remembered Sirius and held back. Harry wasn´t so restrained. Malfoy was hit by a spell and fell from his chair. When he got back up, his hair was orange and everybody laughed.

"Detention! Both of you!" The professor glared at Harry and Snapdragon in turn. "Be at my office at seven."

The rest of the lesson was spent reading.

-x-

Professor Umbridge had decorated her office all in pink. There was a pink table cloth, a pink tea set and even a pink lamp on her desk. The walls were covered with shelves. But unlike in past years they didn´t contain dark detectors or material to show the students in lessons but plates with fluffy kittens on them. The cats were moving, some chasing their tails, others licking their paws. Many of the plates were pink, too.

Snapdragon and Harry were asked inside and assigned lines. Snapdragon thought it was a rather childish punishment for fifth years, but only until she wrote the first line.

"I mustn´t tell lies."

With a gasp the girl looked at Harry. His wrist was cut open, too. The professor had given them a quill which cut the line into their skin and used their blood to write.

Harry made a fist and started to write his second line, but Snapdragon dropped her quill.

"Does the headmaster know that you´re using dark magic within the castle?" she snapped at Madam Umbridge.

"Dark?" laughed the teacher. "Hardly. The punishment just fits the crime. That´s hardly dark."

"Those quills are designed to hurt people. They´re dark."

"I tell you they´re not. Now take yours and continue writing. We don´t have all night."

"Certainly not! I´m going to the headmaster." Snapdragon got up. "Come, Harry."

"Don´t you dare, Miss Snape!" shouted the professor, but Snapdragon and Harry were already out of her door.

Albus shook his head in disbelief. "Are you sure?" he asked for the fourth time.

Snapdragon showed her wrist and Harry held his hand beside his sister´s. "Of course we´re sure."

"Go to bed, I´ll speak with Madam Umbridge." Albus ushered them out of his office.

The next day the ministry published a new law that allowed physical punishment at Hogwarts.

-x-

It turned out that Dolores Umbridge was close enough to the minister that she could do no wrong. Whatever the woman did, in case it was illegal, it was legalized by the next day. She used the law for the Correction of Anomally Naughty Errants (CANE) with gusto, to the delight of Argus Filch, who was thrilled to provide her with canes, whips and thumbscrews.

Snapdragon, being a girl, only got hit on her fingers with a bamboo, but the boys were hit with wooden spoons in detention. And of course that blood drawing quill was put to good use. Albus was livid, but there wasn´t much he could do after the minister had sanctioned Madam Umbridge´s behaviour.

Dad´s little leisure time was cut even shorter by brewing vast amounts of healing draughts and pain potions.

The school year crawled by and by December Snapdragon hoped with all her heart that the rumours were true and the defence post was cursed. One year of Dolores Umbridge was definitely enough. Merlin, three months with the woman were more than enough!

It was the last day before the Christmas holidays, when the redhead was woken by Auntie Minerva.

"Girls, go to the headmaster´s office. Quickly!"

Snapdragon slipped on her robes over her nightdress and pulled Hermione away from her trunk. "She said quickly!" the girl whispered urgently.

They hurried out through the portrait hole and towards Albus´ office. On their way they caught up with the Weasley twins and Ginny.

"Do you know what this is about?" asked Fred.

Snapdragon shook her head. "It must have something to do with Ron," she made a guess. "And Harry´s not here either."

The twins nodded grimly and hurried towards the stone gargoyle guarding Albus´ office with even fiercer determination.

Harry and Ron were indeed at the headmaster´s office. Ron was very pale and Harry looked pale and sweaty as if he was ill. Albus gave them a brief summary of the earlier events of the evening. Harry had had a vision of the Weasleys´ father being injured.

"You have to leave before Madam Umbridge hears about it," Albus said urgently. He cast a portus spell on a phoenix feather and sent them off.

-x-

Sirius awaited them in the kitchen of number 12, Grimmauld Place. A big pot of tea was steaming on the table and he had them settle down around the kitchen table and have a cuppa.

"We have to go to ´s," said George. His siblings agreed.

Sirius shook his head. "You can´t! We have to give them time to notify the family or questions would be asked. Your mother has been informed by the headmaster. She´s waiting for word and will be by his side as quickly as possible. You will have to wait until he has permission to have visitors. But you´re at a good position here at Grimmauld Place to go there quickly. Now, drink your tea and then try to get some hours of sleep. You want to be rested when you can go and see him."

The Weasleys calmed down a bit and drank their tea obediently. The way Sirius Black had talked about their father´s injury – as if it was certain that he was going to be healed – had been reassuring.

They got news from when they were having breakfast the next morning. Dad came to bring the children´s things – clothes and textbooks – and told them that Mrs. Weasley had already been allowed to see her husband.

"She should arrive here shortly, and then you will get some details. For now it´s important you know that his condition improved enough for your mother to be allowed into his room."

The Weasley children cheered up at the good news and Harry, who had been looking as if the whole incident was his fault, smiled, too. Hermione and Snapdragon were affected by the good mood and soon they were laughing over some jokes the twins had made.

was able to return home in time for the Christmas celebrations. Albus and Dad joined the children, Mr. and and Sirius Black for Christmas Day at Grimmauld Place. Dad and Sirius were on their best behaviour and they managed to not quarrel all day. It was a merry day. Everybody got presents – even Dad and Sirius exchanged bottles of fire whisky – and had outdone herself with a delicious meal.

The return to Hogwarts put an end to the good mood. Professor Umbridge had the whole school in a tense grip. Everybody was careful what they said or did and who watched. The woman even started to inspect the other teachers and the minister gave her the power to fire them by decree suchandsuch – Snapdragon had lost count.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were very worried about Hagrid, whose teaching style was a bit strange sometimes and who was known for his rather unusual choices of creatures to bring to class. Snapdragon was worried about Dad.

Hogwarts was his haven. While he was at school, he was safe from the Dark Lord and his cronies. What if that evil woman made him leave? Snapdragon knew that the dark wizard had sent Dad to Hogwarts in first place, so if Dad lost his position the evil creature was not going to be amused. Losing his teaching position could be very dangerous for him.

-x-

In February the upper year students decided that Dolores Umbridge was endangering their future by her teaching methods. There hadn´t been a single practical lesson so far and OWLs were drawing closer. Hermione suggested that Harry taught them and after a short period of hesitation, Harry complied. They found a place to practice in the Room of Requirement.

Snapdragon found training with Harry exhausting. The others did that, too, but for entirely different reasons. While her peers were working hard to master the spells, Snapdragon was busy to hide her powers. Nevertheless she profitted from the lessons. Harry researched spells to teach them and Snapdragon learned new ones as well, only quicklier than the rest of the crowd.

-x-

Dad put Harry in detention frequently. Snapdragon first thought that he did it in order to talk to Harry like they had done before, but in March Dad told her that he was trying to teach Harry occlumency on Albus´ orders. Harry, it seemed, was by no means gifted in the area.

"Can you try to practice with him?" Dad asked gently during one of Snapdragon´s Saturday afternoon visits. "Maybe it´s easier for him with you."

Snapdragon promised to do her best.

"I´m trying!" protested Harry the same evening when Snapdragon scolded him for not concentrating. "It´s just not my cup of tea!"

"Harry, this is not about what you like! If a hostile wizard can manipulate your mind, it´s dangerous!"

"But I can´t do it!" complained Harry. "Dad never explained me how! And nor did you!"

"Dad taught me," snapped Snapdragon. "It took me two months to learn it. It´s not that hard, you know."

"Not for somebody as powerful as you," Harry said in a small voice.

"Nonsense!" said Snapdragon. "I´m not more powerful than you! The difference is that I grew up with magic and you were told it didn´t exist. We have a different view of it and that´s why some things come easier to me than you, but you can learn it. I´m sure of that."

"Really?" Harry smiled shyly.

"Of course! And now let´s try again."

-x-

"Snapdragon, can we talk?" Harry asked his sister shyly when they were about to start another occlumency practice.

"Of course, what is it?"

Harry blushed. "Promise you won´t laugh at me!"

Snapdragon laughed good-naturedly. "Why are you so serious?"

"You aren´t helpful, you know?" Harry blushed even more. "I´m trying to talk about a problem here!"

"Go ahead. What is it?" Snapdragon tried to look solemn, but she thought she wasn´t really good at it.

Seemingly her efforts were good enough for Harry. "You know Cho? The Ravenclaw seeker?"

Snapdragon nodded.

"I think I like her." Harry looked at Snapdragon shyly from under his lashes.

"That´s wonderful!"

"Not really. She thinks I have a girlfriend and won´t have anything to do with me."

"What? She won´t have anything to do with you because of me?"

It was Harry´s turn to nod.

"That´s all Malfoy´s fault!"

Snapdragon shrugged. "I guess we´ll have to break up then."

"Break up?"

"Have a row where Cho sees us. So she knows that you´re free."

Harry beamed at Snapdragon. "This could work!"

They spent the rest of the evening planning their break-up.

-x-

Snapdragon filled Hermione in on the plan and Harry Ron. It felt wrong to enact their little plot without telling their best friends before. They chose breakfast on Saturday morning for their display.

"I´m fed up!" Harry snarled louder than necessary. "Your jealousy is so annoying!"

"Annoying?" Snapdragon snapped back. "You of all people call me annoying? Who´s been holding onto me like a squid for the past four years? Sometimes I can´t even breathe!"

"A squid?" Harry shrieked. "Take that back! You... you... you hinkypunk!"

"How dare you!" Snapdragon stood so abruptly that she pushed the bench she was sitting on and Ron nearly fell. His plate went flying when he grabbed for something to hold on. "Don´t think you can talk to me like that just because of that scar!"

"Leave my scar out of that!" Harry stood, too. "This has nothing to do with my scar!"

"Pah!" spat Snapdragon. "Everything has to do with that bloody scar. It´s boy who lived this and boy who lived that all the time, you bigheaded git!"

"You´re just jealous, because you´ve never done anything important in your life!"

"At least they don´t write in the Prophet about my life!"

"I wonder what I saw in you!"

"I could say the same!" Snapdragon turned on the spot and stomped out of the hall. They had agreed that Harry should stay near Cho.

When Snapdragon crossed the Entrance Hall, somebody caught up with her hurriedly. "Ah, I love your temper, my sweetheart. And I´m glad you got rid of that dwarf at last." Malfoy stroked the redhead´s cheek with the back of his hand.

"Get lost, Malfoy," hissed Snapdragon.

"Mmmh, so much passion," Malfoy leaned closer.

Snapdragon didn´t wait any longer. She slapped the blond as hard as she could.

"Detention, Miss Snape. For this unprovoked display of violence! And don´t think that you can´t be expelled with your father being a teacher at Hogwarts!" Dolores Umbridge smiled, but there was no kindness in the gesture.

-x-

"You will stay here for the night," said Dad as he spread salve on Snapdragon´s wrist. "I will not risk that vile woman putting you in detention for breaking curfew."

"Thanks, Dad," answered the redhead. "I feel it´s a bit unfair. The others don´t have a hiding place."

"At the moment I don´t care about the others," snapped Dad. "My daughter´s wrist is saying ´I must not hit people´. I couldn´t care less about the others. You´re lucky I had some salve ready. That way we can prevent the scarring."

Snapdragon smiled weakly. Dad had that particular salve ready all the time these days or half the student population of Hogwarts would carry around dubious messages on their wrists for the rest of their life. Madam Pomfrey had been furious when she found out that the scars that evil quill caused were not removable unless treated at once.

Dad made the girl drink a small dose of dreamless sleep and tucked her in like he had done when she was little. Before she fell asleep, Snapdragon thought it was nice to be pampered.

-x-

Dad was gone when Snapdragon left her dungeon bedroom the next day. Snapdragon snarled angrily. Breakfast with Dad had been what made staying over night tempting and now she woke to find that her father was doing that evil wizard´s biding. She decided to go up to the Great Hall for breakfast. Her friends were going to distract her from her worries for Dad.

Strangely enough, Harry, Ron and Hermione weren´t at the Great Hall.

"Do you know where Hermione and the boys are?" Snapdragon asked Dean. She remembered just in time not to ask for Harry after yesterday´s ´breakup´.

"I´m not sure," said Dean. "Harry had a terrible nightmare. He and Ron left and we haven´t seen them ever since. I guess they went to the headmaster."

Ginny leaned closer. "Do you think Harry had a vision again?" she whispered to Snapdragon worriedly.

"I don´t know," Snapdragon whispered back. "But I´m sure if it had had something to do with your family, Albus would have notified you."

Ginny nodded. She looked a bit reassured.

Snapdragon used her private password to Albus´ office a little later. The old wizard wasn´t there. The girl scribbled a message saying that she had been at the office and turned to leave when the fire in the fireplace flared to life and the headmaster stepped into the room.

"Snapdragon," he said urgently. "I was just going to send for you."

The girl paled. "Has something happened to Dad?"

"No! – No!" Albus reassured her. "Harry had a vision last night. Voldemort made him believe that he had captured Sirius. Harry notified me and I alerted the order. Harry insisted on coming with us. There was a battle at the ministry. Harry saw his godfather die. He will need comfort and I think his sister is the person he needs right now."

"Oh no! His godfather? Mr. Black was a good man," Snapdragon was taken aback by the bad news. "Where´s Harry now?"

"Remus will bring him in a minute. Can you stay here and take care of Harry? I have to sort out things with the minister. Voldemort was seen at the ministry. The wizarding world knows now that he´s back."

Snapdragon promised to stay with Harry and Albus grabbed some things from his desk and stepped back into the fire. Professor Lupin brought Harry a little later, Ron and Hermione followed.

"Oh Harry, I´m so sorry!" Snapdragon hugged her brother as soon as Professor Lupin had left to help Albus with alerting the Order of the Phoenix. Now that Voldemort´s return was publicly known, they could no longer count on him treading carefully. People needed to be warned and protected.

Harry returned Snapdragon´s hug for a brief moment, but disentangled himself from her embrace almost instantly.

"It´s my fault," he snarled and kicked Albus´ sofa. "If I had ignored that vision, Sirius´d be having breakfast at his home right now." He glared at Snapdragon. "Why didn´t you push me harder to learn occlumency? If I hadn´t had that vision in the first place..."

"Occlumency?" Hermione asked eagerly. "I thought Professor Snape had stopped teaching you?"

Ron shut her up with a gentle touch to her elbow.

"Harry, we both did our best," Snapdragon replied feebly.

"I didn´t," Harry kicked the sofa again. "I should have practiced more. I killed Sirius!"

"Occlumency is a tiring art to learn," insisted Snapdragon. "It´s not your fault."

Harry whirled around. "Stop pampering me! It´s entirely my fault! If I hadn´t followed Voldemort´s vision! If I had practiced more! If I simply had died with my parents, Sirius´d be still alive!" He kicked the sofa again, this time more violently. He howled with pain at the impact and the tears he had fought back so far finally started falling.

"He was my godfather, and I killed him!" Harry howled.

Snapdragon sat beside her brother and pulled him into an embrace. This time Harry allowed himself to get comforted. He hung on Snapdragon´s neck like a drowning man.

Ron and Hermione looked uncomfortable to witness such an intimate scene. After some moments of hesitation, the bushy haired girl sat at Harry´s other side and stroked his hair. Ron went to the portrait of Phineas Nigellus, whom they knew from Grimmauld Place, and talked to him in a soft voice. At the end of their conversation, the former headmaster left his frame and Ron rummaged in one of the cabinets.

A little later the boy carried a tea tray to the coffee table.

"Mum says a cup of tea can cure anything," he smiled nervously.

"Thank you, Ron," Hermione smiled back and started pouring tea for all of them. Ron sat on one of the armchairs.

Harry had just finished his second cup and his sobs had reduced to occasional sniffs, when Dad came to the office.

"Where were you?" shouted Harry. "I thought you wanted to protect me! Where were you when we needed help at the ministry?"

Dad looked at Ron and Hermione pointedly before he snarled "My whereabouts are none of your business."

Hermione proved once again that she was a very bright young witch. "Professor," she said and got up from the sofa, "if we aren´t needed any longer, is it okay if Ron and I return to Gryffindor tower? We have some revising to do."

Dad nodded in acknowledgement and the two left after some more reassuring words for Harry.

"Harry," Dad sat in the place Hermione had vacated. "I was where the Dark Lord had sent me, brewing potions for his deatheaters. Going to the ministry would have meant to blow my cover. I knew that the Order was there with you. You´ll need me in Voldemort´s ranks in the future."

"I know that, Dad," whispered Harry. "It´s just easier to blame others than admit that it was my fault. I´m sorry."

"It wasn´t your fault," said Dad. "Listen to me, Harry. Sirius Black was a grown man. He was able to make his own decisions and he did. It was his wish to go to the ministry and fight the evil wizard who threatened your future as well as his. He knew about the risks, but he was ready to take them. He thought that a future rid of the Dark Lord was worth them."

"But he died!" Harry muttered insistently.

"He did. He was killed by his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange. She boasted about her deed when she and the others returned to Voldemorts hideaway. The Dark Lord was pleased with her. – Harry, you have to understand that only Bellatrix Lestrange is responsible for what Bellatrix Lestrange did."

"But he was there because of my vision!"

"You may have had a part in providing the circumstances," admitted Dad, "but it was Bellatrix Lestrange who chose to raise her wand and commit murder. You had no influence on her. It´s her responsibility, and hers alone."

Little by little Harry calmed down.


	26. The Plan

**The Plan**

Saying good bye to Harry after the exams – Snapdragon had never thought her OWLs would be of so little importance to her – was more difficult than ever. Dad stood beside the redhead and held her hand as she waved Harry, Ron and Hermione good bye.

"He´ll be back at Hogwarts in no time at all," Dad promised. "You´ll see."

Again, there was no summer vacation at the seaside or anywhere else away from Hogwarts. Dad had to leave for deatheater meetings frequently. Those few days the Dark Lord left him alone were spent with Snapdragon. They hiked through the forbidden forest or went swimming in the lake.

July, hotter than ever, had just started when their dinner in the dungeons was interrupted by the arrival of Albus´ phoenix patronus. The old wizard´s voice sounded tired and desperate. Dad and Snapdragon rushed to the headmaster´s office as fast as they could.

"Severus, you shouldn´t have brought Snapdragon." Albus half sat, half lay on the sofa. His forehead was covered with sweat and dirt and the ring finger on his right hand looked black, as if it had been burnt. A ring rested on the coffee table, its once beautiful black stone cracked.

"Snapdragon is old enough to be here and skilled enough to assist me," said Dad. "What happened?"

"I tried this ring on," Albus breathed heavily. "It´s cursed."

Dad knelt beside his mentor and started muttering charms under his breath. "I need to brew you a potion," he said urgently, "Snapdragon, I need you to stay with Albus. Cast the strongest healing spell you can think of every quarter hour and don´t let him fall asleep. I´ll be back in two hours."

Snapdragon nodded, but Dad was already on his way to the dungeons.

"Where did you get the ring, Albus?" asked the redhead. Making the old man talk seemed like a good idea.

The headmaster hesitated. "I guess I might as well tell you now, as I feel that you have to know. I was after Voldemort´s soul."

"His soul?"

"Indeed," Albus smiled sadly. "I knew him when he was younger. So much talent! But he was afraid, so afraid." The old man struggled for breath and Snapdragon cast her healing spell. "He was afraid of death, like most people who are scared of life. Fate had been cruel to him at a young age and he lost his faith that life held a bright future for him. Instead he tried to flee from death and by putting all his energy into his quest, he avoided what he feared most: to live. Did you know that the name he chose for himself means ´Flies from death´?"

Snapdragon shook her head.

"In his search for immortality he found out about the most evil of magical artefacts, the horcrux. It´s a container for a piece of soul." Albus smiled tiredly. "Anything can be a horcrux, it´s not the item itself that is evil, but the process of making it a horcrux. To create one, the wizard has to kill and split his soul in the process. The piece of soul is then enclosed in the object by a powerful spell."

"Why would a wizard want to keep his soul in an object?" Snapdragon asked to make her godfather continue speaking.

"As long as the horcrux is intact, the wizard is linked to this world and therefore can not die."

"Is this why Voldemort came back?" whispered Snapdragon.

Albus nodded. Snapdragon cast another healing spell. "He made several horcruxes. To kill him, we have to find out how many and destroy them all."

"But the prophecy says Harry has to destroy him."

"In the end Harry will have to fulfill his destiny," agreed Albus, "but that doesn´t mean that I can´t help the dear boy."

"The ring was a horcrux?" asked the girl.

Albus confirmed. "It was, as was the diary Harry destroyed in the chamber of secrets."

"Where did you find it?"

Dad returned half an hour after Albus had finished his tale about how he had found the ring in an abandoned cottage, which once had belonged to Voldemort´s family.

"Well done, daughter," praised Dad after he had looked at Albus´ hand. "You slowed the curse down. Drink this, Albus."

The old wizard downed the potion Dad handed him.

"Thank you, Severus. How much time will this grant me?"

"A year, perhaps one and a half, but not more," Dad said sadly.

Snapdragon looked at the two wizards in turn. "No!" she whispered. "Dad! We must find a cure!"

"There is none, dear child," said Albus. "This ring was cursed to kill and kill it will."

"But Dad said we have a year! We can research! We can ask healers for help."

"No, my dear," repeated the old wizard. "I´m dying, but as you said, we have a year. Let´s put it to good use."

-x-

A week later Dad returned from one of his assignments deathly pale. Snapdragon was playing on the lawn with her cat, when she saw him hurry up the driveway from the gates. She abandoned the cat in favour for joining her father.

"Dad, what happened?" she asked, frightened by the sight of his palour.

"Not here, daughter," Dad muttered urgently. "Albus´ office. Come!"

Snapdragon had to run to keep up with the long strides of her father. They rushed through the entrance hall and up the stairs. Albus awaited them at the open office door. Strangely enough Dad pulled Snapdragon into a bone-crushing hug as soon as the door had closed on them.

Albus conjured tea for all three of them.

"What happened, Severus?" he asked kindly when they had all settled down with a cup.

Dad´s cup started to shake and he had to put it down on the table. His eyes darted from Albus to Snapdragon and back.

"Lucius Malfoy," he said then, "has asked for my daughter´s hand on behalf of his son, Draco Malfoy. – The Dark Lord approves."

"What?" shrieked Snapdragon. "I thought he was sent to Azkaban after the battle at the ministry?"

"He was," confirmed Dad, "but his wife has permission to visit and she conveyed his request."

"I will not marry Draco Malfoy!" cried Snapdragon.

"Calm down, my girl, you won´t marry anybody," smiled Albus. "Explain, Severus. How did Lucius Malfoy come up with that idea?"

"Draco has caught glimpses of Snapdragon´s power over the years and he has told his father. Lucius Malfoy wants his son to marry a powerful witch to further the power and influence of his house. A witch, who could perform wandless magic even before she took her OWLs, will rouse his greed. He wants to make sure you´re not snatched away from Draco by somebody else."

"I won´t marry Draco!" Snapdragon stated.

"Of course not," agreed Dad. "I convinced them that Albus Dumbledore won´t allow his goddaughter to leave Hogwarts before her education is complete."

"But then they will expect you to agree in two years!" cried Snapdragon.

Albus smiled sadly. "Don´t forget, my dear, that I will die long before your NEWTs."

Snapdragon paled. "I´m only safe as long as Albus lives," she whispered.

Dad nodded. "Lucius and the Dark Lord are impatient about the link to be established between the houses of Malfoy and Snape. I´m afraid they will insist that I give you to Draco the moment Albus dies."

"Never!" Snapdragon shrieked.

"Of course, love! We have a year to come up with a plan. I will never allow that Draco Malfoy touches you." Dad pulled the upset fifteen year old into a hug. "I will protect you. Never forget that!"

-x-

Albus fetched Harry from Privet Drive on the first of August. It seemed that the boy´s arrival at Hogwarts was the only good event the summer held in store for them, for a week later Dad came back with the next piece of bad news.

This time four of them sat in Albus´ office.

"The Dark Lord thinks the Malfoys owe him for his support of Lucius´ wedding plans for Draco and Snapdragon. He assigned Draco a task. I couldn´t find out what exactly, but it is agreed among the deatheaters that it is dangerous."

"If I´m lucky he´ll die," muttered Snapdragon.

"His mother came to me for help. She argued that he was as good as my son in law. I had to take an unbreakable vow to protect him."

"What is an unbreakable vow?" asked Harry.

Albus explained.

"What if the task Draco was assigned requires you to chose him over Snapdragon?" Harry asked, worried for his sister.

"Then I´ll have to chose Draco or I´ll die," whispered Dad. "I won´t chose Draco over you, ever, my daughter."

"Of course you will!" protested Snapdragon. "Harry needs you!"

"I think there is a way to protect Snapdragon without breaking the vow," said Albus.

"How?" asked the others in unison.

"If protecting her puts you in too much danger, Severus, you must hide her. Even from yourself."

"Where could that be?" asked the potions master, puzzled.

Snapdragon understood. "I must return to my own world and take the secret of the connecting potion with me."

"But you´ll be alone there! Completely unprotected!" protested Dad and Harry.

"They probably think I´m dead. They won´t even know it´s me," smiled Snapdragon. "I´ll just be some redhaired little witch, living a quiet life and waiting for an opportunity to return to her loved ones."

"Very clever, my girl," agreed Albus. "This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Severus, you can claim that I sent Snapdragon away and obliviated you when it comes to the potion that connects the worlds. You will be perfectly safe, for I will take the blame. Snapdragon can brew the potion from time to time and see whether it is safe to return."

"What if it doesn´t work? What if she can´t come back?" asked Dad. Harry seconded the question with nods.

"We aren´t in a position for riskfree solutions," sighed Albus. "I think it´s the best option we have, but if you can think of anything better, please, let me know."

Snapdragon spent the rest of the holidays learning how to brew "her" potion. They couldn´t risk to put the recipe in writing. She had to know it by heart. When Dad was satisfied with Snapdragon´s brewing, Albus obliviated him. The potion was now all Snapdragon´s. She just hoped she wasn´t going to need it.

-x-

With Dad´s position weakened when it came to protecting Snapdragon and Harry, Albus decided that it was time to rely on old friends. He hired Dad´s old head of house, Horace Slughorn, to teach potions. Dad was to take over Defence. Snapdragon protested when she heard that Dad was to fill the cursed position, but the two men ignored her. She couldn´t help the impression that they were hiding something from her.

Snapdragon enjoyed the rest of the summer with Harry for everything it was worth. It could, they both were painfully aware, be their last together, and it almost certainly was the last they were able to spend with Albus.

They went swimming and hiking. Albus practiced duelling with them and Dad tutored them in potions. Their curriculum had nothing to do with exams or NEWTs, but with what the two older wizards thought the siblings would need in a war.

August rushed by with lessons and fun and all too soon it was time to get their books. Dad couldn´t be seen with Harry, so Albus asked the Weasleys to take him shopping. Snapdragon´s books were delivered via owl post. Dad took her shopping for robes, parchment and ink to Hogsmeade.

Harry was to return to Hogwarts the next day along with Ron and Hermione, but the two were alone when they entered the Great Hall. Snapdragon rushed to their side immediately.

"Where´s Harry?" she whispered urgently.

"We don´t know! He wanted to listen in on Malfoy, but he didn´t come back!" Hermione was close to tears.

"Can you tell your father?" asked Ron. "It won´t raise suspicion if you go up to the head table."

Snapdragon turned on the spot and hurried up to her father. Dad muttered something about foolish Gryffindors before he left the room. The girl returned to her house table and waited anxiously.

After a little while Hermione nudged her gently. "What´s Malfoy thinking he´s doing?" she whispered under her breath.

The blond boy was chatting with his friends at the Slytherin table. From time to time he glanced at Snapdragon. When he realised that the girl was looking at him he blew her a kiss. Snapdragon turned up her nose and ignored him for the rest of the meal.

Halfway through dessert Harry turned up. "Malfoy caught me," he whispered and helped himself to a double portion of treacle tarte. "He tried to break my nose."

"Are you hurt?" Snapdragon asked, concerned.

"Tonks healed me. Your Dad sent her."

Snapdragon thought that Harry was lucky that the friendly young Auror had found him. Dad might have left his wounds untreated just to teach him a lesson.

"Let´s go up to the tower," Harry continued. "We have much to tell you."

Snapdragon agreed and the Gryffindor Four were among the first to leave the table.

They ran into Malfoy and his cronies in the Entrance Hall.

"Take your filthy hands off my fiancée, Potter," spat the Slytherin.

Harry stepped between his sister and the blond. "You keep your hands off her!" he snapped back.

Malfoy smirked. "I´ll make her forget you once we´re married."

Snapdragon held Harry back from behind just before he was going to lung at the other boy. "He´s not worth it, Harry. Ignore the git."

"She´s right, Potter, we aren´t in the same league," Malfoy sneered. His cronies laughed.

Harry struggled to free himself from Snapdragon´s grip, but Ron and Hermione had come to her aid. With Harry safely held by his friends, the redhead released her hold.

"Go to your dungeons, Malfoy, before I hex you," she spat.

"Mmh," purred the Slytherin. "What a wildcat! I´m glad I´m going to get a passionate bride. I´ll go," he looked at Snapdragon intensely, "and I´ll dream of you all night."

Snapdragon had to use all her willpower not to kill the blond there and then.

-x-

The school year was definitely the worst ever for Snapdragon. The constant worry for Albus, Dad and Harry left her nervous and irritable. Malfoy´s constant taunts added to the situation. The blond tried to corner Snapdragon between lessons and after meals. Harry, Ron and Hermione did what they could to help, but Malfoy was rarely stopped by the presence of others.

"For the last time, Malfoy, we are not engaged!" hissed Snapdragon. They had been on their way to Potions when Malfoy had practically jumped them from behind a statue.

"Lie to yourself as much as you want. In the end your own father will lead you to the altar. Where I will be waiting for you. Oh, I´ll so enjoy this!"

Snapdragon slapped the blond, but he just laughed.

-x-

Professor Slughorn turned out to be a competent teacher. He was a bit vain, but when it came to potions, he was a true expert. His lessons were challenging, as was the homework he assigned.

Snapdragon was glad about the difficult assignments. Malfoy was in the NEWT potions class and the assignments usually tied him to the library for hours.

As time passed, the blond´s attacks occured less frequently. Snapdragon guessed that he was occupied with whatever task Voldemort had given him. She half wished that he was going to succeed for Dad not having to fulfill his vow, but then the assignment certainly wasn´t anything good, so perhaps Dad´s interference was a chance to take the edge off the evil that Malfoy was about to commit.

When the first snow fell and Harry was less occupied with Quidditch training, Albus restarted lessons for Harry and Snapdragon in the evenings only now he didn't teach them any spells. He passed on all the information about the Dark Lord he had gathered.

They learned how Voldemort had grown up at an orphanage. Both children shuddered. They were orphans, too, but they had been luckier than the boy Tom. Harry wasn´t loved by his relatives, but what they offered was better than what the young Tom Riddle had got. Snapdragon was the luckiest of all. She had got her father back – or at least his alter ego from a different universe, which was all the same for the redhead.

Albus showed them memories of Tom Riddle working at a shop in Knockturn Alley, preparing theft and murder and even coming to Hogwarts to ask Albus for a job.

"Is that why the position is cursed? Because he didn´t get it?" gasped Snapdragon.

Albus nodded. "I´m afraid so, my girl."

Between lessons with Albus, regular lessons, homework and trying to avoid Malfoy, the Gryffindor Four tried to find out what the blond was up to. The boy hadn´t confided in Dad what that task was he was supposed to carry out for the Dark Lord. Snapdragon played only a small part in their spying. If Malfoy saw her, there´d just be another row – a premarital banter, the blond had called it the last time they ran into each other. Snapdragon had hit him with a Pinocchio-jinx, but the boy had just smirked that the longer nose fitted. "You know what they say about men´s noses." Hermione had explained later and Snapdragon swore to throttle Draco with her bare hands one of these days.

Some time after Christmas Harry surprised them all by kissing Ron´s little sister in the Common Room. There were some catcalls from Dean and Seamus, but most of the Gryffindors waited for Ron´s reaction with baited breath. Ron watched the display for a minute before he shrugged and went up to his dormitory with a muttered "I guess she could do worse than the Boy Who Lived."

"I must have been blind," Harry confessed to Snapdragon during their next occlumency practice. After Sirius´ death Harry had started to work with determination, but his successes were still small. "Ginny is beautiful, kind and funny. And she knows that I haven´t spent the past five years snogging you."

"What about Cho?" asked Snapdragon.

Harry shrugged. "We kissed once or twice, but it wasn´t like with Ginny. And she was still jealous about you. She came back with Ernie MacMillan as her boyfriend after the holidays. – What about you, Snapdragon. Any prince who stole your heart in sight?"

The redhead blushed. They had discussed Harry´s lovelife – or lack thereof – occasionally, but never hers.

"I can´t," she said. "Just think what Malfoy would do to him. I shudder to think what Voldemort would do if he learned that I have a boyfriend. To that boyfriend and to Dad for allowing it!"

"I see, but is there anybody you´d like if you were free?"

Snapdragon shook her head. Her long red hair dangled to and fro. "I never thought about it, as it isn´t an option anyway."

"A pity," said Harry, "you´re a beautiful one, you know that?"

Snapdragon blushed. Harry pressed a kiss to her forehead. "We have to practice. Attack me!"

The redhead laughed and cast Legilimens.

-x-

Winter turned into spring. Lessons with Albus were all about Horcruxes now. He taught them how to make one – not the actual spell, but how to recognize the process – and how to destroy them. The old wizard made them learn spells to identify a Horcrux and, most importantly, every single detail he knew about Lord Voldemort´s Horcruxes.

Harry had already destroyed a diary in his second year. And Albus had destroyed the old Gaunt ring, the only family heirloom Tom Riddle had left from his ancestors. The destruction of said ring had cost Albus´ life and as the year Dad had bought the old wizard with his potion was coming to a close, the old man became weaker.

Albus didn´t know about the number of Horcruxes the Dark Lord had made, but he guessed that his old friend Horace must know. The problem was that Horace Slughorn denied any knowledge of the matter.

Harry tried to talk the man into giving the piece of information on several occasions, but it was fruitless, until the professor got too much mead at Hagrid´s in late May. In a bout of drunken sentimentality the former head of Slytherin handed over the memory of a chat he had had with the student Tom Riddle.

It confirmed Albus´ worst guesses. Voldemort had attempted to make seven Horcruxes. Which meant that there were five left and Albus had barely two months left. The condition the old man was in told clearly that it wouldn´t be more.

Snapdragon was nervous and scared. If they didn´t defeat the evil wizard before Albus died, she´d have to go into hiding in that other universe, which had been originally hers, but which was now all strange and unknown to her.

Dad made her carry around a bag with her most important possessions all the time. There was a magical notebook, a booklet from the outside, but with more than thousand pages full of potion recipes, spells, charms, curses and countercurses. Several potion bottles, all protected by unbreakable charms, with healing draughts and antidotes to poisons. A box with potion ingredients – especially everything she needed for "her" potion. Some clothes. And most important, a photograph they had taken last summer, with Dad, Harry and Albus standing by Snapdragon´s side, all four of them waving happily.

The exams were drawing close when Albus sent for Harry and Snapdragon. Most surprisingly, Dad was there.

"I think I found another Horcrux," Albus said without preamble. "I´m weak and I feel that my death is only a question of days. Harry, I want you to come with me. It will give you firsthand experience of what to expect when you follow the path Fate has destined for you. Severus, I want you to remember your promises, those you made recently as well as those you made years ago. Snapdragon, always remember that I love you, my girl. Stay with your father until Harry and I will be safely back in the castle."

Snapdragon felt uneasy. Albus sounded as if he didn´t expect to see his goddaughter again. She fell on the old wizard´s neck and burried her face in his long hair. For a long moment Albus allowed her to bask in his embrace before he disentagled himself from her arms.

Harry hugged Snapdragon, too. "I´ll take good care of Albus," he promised. "We´ll be back safely."

"I hope so, Harry," replied the redhead. "I need you to, Harry."

Dad took Snapdragon down to their dungeon quarters for the evening. They played a game of chess and Snapdragon lost spectacularly. The girl was just too nervous to concentrate. Finally Dad sent her to bed.

Snapdragon had no idea whether it was ten minutes or ten hours later when Dad woke her. He was deathly pale.

"Snapdragon," he whispered urgently. "It has come to the worst! Draco let deatheaters into the castle. I have to go and keep them away from the students. Albus is back, but he´s dying. I´ll have to kill him to stay in the Dark Lord´s good book if Draco can´t do it." He silenced the girl with a gesture. "It was agreed between Albus and me. It´s the recent promise he was reminding me of. I´ll lock our quarters when I go, to make sure you can brew your potion, undisturbed. Go my child and be safe! I love you!"

He pressed a quick kiss on Snapdragon´s forehead. "Hurry! Time may become a problem."

Then Dad was out of the door.


	27. A Different World

**A Different World**

Snapdragon felt like crying, but she knew that her father was relying on her getting to safety. She fought the tears down, grabbed her bag and rushed to Dad´s private lab. With well practiced moves she set up a cauldron and added ingredient after ingredient. Finally, the silver mist formed.

It was like a window opening to an other world. The window showed an empty hall, like it always had during their practice. Only this time Snapdragon didn´t wait for the mist to dissolve, but stepped forward into it.

It was like walking into a wall. She couldn´t get through. Snapdragon cursed. They had never tried whether she could step through the barrier between the two worlds!

"Is anybody there?"

A boy of maybe seventeen stepped into the hall. "Mum? Are you home?"

"Can you hear me?" Snapdragon asked urgently.

"Who´s there?" the boy looked around nervously.

The redhead tried to remember how she had passed the barrier the first time. "Is there a mirror? Look into the mirror!"

The boy obeyed. Soft hazel eyes looked into Snapdragon´s dark ones. "Who are you?"

"I´ll explain later! Can you take my hand and pull?" Outside somebody was trying to open the door. Neither Dad nor Albus or Harry. The wards would allow them in. "Please!"

The boy leant forward and reached for Snapdragon´s hand. The redhead did her best to meet him in the middle. Right when she thought it was in vain, she felt warm fingers. Once they had made contact, things became easier. The boy pulled with all his might and Snapdragon felt the dungeons melt away. With a loud thud they landed in a heap on the floor when the girl fell out of the mirror.

"Sirius? What are you doing? – Who are you?"

Snapdragon found herself staring at the tip of a wand. A wand which was held by an older version of Harry.

The girl disentangled herself from the boy and showed her hands. "I have no wand," she said softly.

The man stooped without taking his eyes off Snapdragon and pulled the boy away from her, behind him.

"Who are you?" he repeated insistently.

Snapdragon wondered whether she should lie, but the man looked like Harry and she couldn´t but trust him.

"I´m Snapdragon Snape."

"Prove it!"

Snapdragon hesitated. How was she to prove her identity? But then she remembered how people used to recognize Harry. She lifted her fringe and showed the scar she had been hiding for more than twelve years.

"Thanks Merlin! It´s true! Welcome to our home!" The man tucked his wand up his sleeve and shook Snapdragon´s hand. "Get up from the floor, dear girl!" He ushered Snapdragon into the living room.

"Sir, please, who are you and where am I?" Snapdragon was confused.

"Oh, I´m sorry. I´m James Potter and this is my son, Sirius. I´m the Keeper of this place."

"Keeper of this place? Sir, what is this place?"

James Potter smiled at Snapdragon widely. "This is the place where you were taken from us!"

"Taken from you?" Snapdragon shifted in her seat uncomfortably.

James Potter nodded. "I´ll firecall Albus. He´ll explain." The man went to the fireplace. "He said that you might not remember. You were very small. – Sirius, kindly make tea for Miss Snape while I call Albus."

The boy disappeared to the kitchen and returned to the living room with a tea tray shortly later. He poured tea for Snapdragon.

"Won´t you have any?" asked the girl.

"You ask me to have tea with the girl of the prophecy?" gasped the boy.

Snapdragon blushed. Five minutes, and she understood how Harry must have felt. Harry. She missed him already.

"I´m just a girl. And I don´t like to have tea alone." Snapdragon gestured at the seat beside her invitingly.

The boy, Sirius, sat down and helped himself to a cup.

Snapdragon had barely had a sip when Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the fireplace. The old wizard looked at the girl sceptically.

"Snapdragon?" he asked cautiously.

"Albus!" Snapdragon stood and smiled. This Albus was nothing like the dying old man she had said good-bye to some hours earlier. He was tall and strong. He wore his long white hair and beard like a cloak and his eyes twinkled with hope.

"Is it true? Are you my goddaughter?"

Again, Snapdragon showed her scar and soon afterwards found herself wrapped in an embrace. This Albus smelled of oranges instead of cinnamon.

"Sit down, my child, and tell us where you have been all those years!"

Snapdragon took a sip of tea and thought how much to tell these people. In the end the decision was easy. Her parents had trusted Albus Dumbledore with her life and made him her godfather. If she couldn´t trust him, she could nobody.

"It´s hard to believe, but I was with my Dad."

The statement caused an uproar.

"Severus Snape is dead!" cried .

"I saw his body," added Albus. "In fact, I was responsible for his funeral!"

Snapdragon rummaged in her bag and retrieved the photograph she had packed. She handed it to Albus wordlessly.

The old wizard looked at the picture for a long time. "That´s me," he said in the end.

Snapdragon nodded.

"How can Severus and I exist on one plain when he is dead and I am not?"

Snapdragon smiled and told her tale. She was interrupted by cries of surprise from time to time.

"Lily chose me over Severus Snape? Impossible!" and "Severus a deatheater? You must have misunderstood!"

In the end they believed her. The photograph was evidence enough.

"So Severus Snape pulled you to his world and raised you? James, do you know what that means?"

"The second prophecy has come true!" enthused . "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be lost, but her father will watch over her and send her to her destiny. – We thought we had misread the first one, when you were lost after your father´s death. We thought he couldn´t watch over you when he was dead."

"I´m a bit confused," admitted Snapdragon. "Both worlds seem to fight the same dark wizard. I know how things are standing in the other world, but what about here? In the other world he returned using the child of the prophecy. But here the child wasn´t available. Is he back?"

Albus nodded. "He returned three years ago. His most enthusiastic follower, Lucius Malfoy, performed the magic. Voldemort made him Minister of Magic for his sacrifice."

"Sacrifice?"

"His son. He sacrificed his own son."

"What?" shrieked Snapdragon. She hated Draco Malfoy with all her heart, but that didn´t mean she wanted to see him die in a dark ritual.

"It´s old magic. To regain a body, Voldemort needed bones from his father, flesh of a servant and blood of an enemy. Lucius gave his flesh."

Snapdragon swallowed hard. "Who was the enemy used? In the other world he used Harry."

"Peter Pettigrew," said . "An old friend of mine. He was a member of the Order."

"He was a traitor in the other world," said Snapdragon.

"He was loyal. I know it for sure," replied Albus. "We thought that your parents may have been betrayed, but we never found out by whom."

It was agreed that Snapdragon should stay at Hogwarts for the time being. Albus suggested using a different name in order not to warn the Dark Lord of the return of the child of the prophecy.

"Which name do you suggest?" the redhead asked. "Do you want me to pretend to belong to a wizarding family? Or should I pretend to be muggleborn?"

Albus gave it some thinking. "I guess it would be best to pretend you are a relative of mine. That way people won´t be surprised when you stay near me. I´d be honoured if you used the name of Ariana Dumbledore."

"It´s a beautiful name," smiled Snapdragon.

"She was my sister. She died."

"Won´t people know that?"

"We´ll say that you´re a distant cousin and your parents named you for my sister."

Snapdragon nodded. "Ariana Dumbledore it is."

-x-

Hogwarts looked very much like it had looked in the other world with only little differences. Where Hagrid´s hut had been for Snapdragon all her life, stood a small house with a white fence.

"Who lives there?" the girl asked as she followed Albus up to the castle.

"Our gameskeeper, , and his family. He has two boys, Fred and George. They´re two years older than you. I´ll introduce you tomorrow. You´ll like the Weasleys."

"Two boys?" asked Snapdragon. No Ron? And no Ginny? She had hoped to meet some of her friends, or at least their alter egos.

"Yes," Albus smiled. "Twins. We´re all very fond of them. They´re really good natured and give us a good laugh from time to time. – You haven´t finished your schooling, have you?"

"No, I had to flee about a week before taking the sixth year exams."

"Exams will be sat here in a week, too. Do you feel up to sitting them? You could proceed to seventh year that way."

"I´ll be allowed to go to school?" Snapdragon asked happily.

"Of course, my child. You can´t face the Dark Lord uneducated. You´ll get extra lessons, if necessary. But first we have to find out where you stand. And you have to meet the rest of the Order, of course. But first things first. You need to be sorted and put into the appropriate house as we can´t be sure that the magic of the castle will accept the sorting from a different universe. – You are a Slytherin like your father, I assume."

Snapdragon shook her head. "I´m a Gryffindor."

"A Gryffindor?" Albus looked disappointed. "I was sure only a Slytherin had the cunning to outwit Voldemort."

The redhead shrugged. "Perhaps only a Gryffindor has the courage to face him."

Albus laughed. "Well said, my child. Come, let´s ask the Sorting Hat where to put you. With you being so clever I´d not be surprised if it suggested Ravenclaw."

The Sorting Hat, however, insisted to stick with its decision. Snapdragon was announced a Gryffindor again.

The headmaster called for the Head of Gryffindor House, Minerva McGonagall. He introduced his niece, Ariana Dumbledore, and informed the professor that Ariana was supposed to sit the exams with the other students in a week´s time.

The professor showed Snapdragon to Gryffindor Tower, which was guarded by a painting of a fat lady in a light blue dress. Snapdragon smiled. The face was the same, only the dress was different.

The girl stopped short when she stepped into the Common Room. The room itself looked very much like the one she had spent her evenings at for the last six years, but there, on an armchair in front of the fireplace, sat Draco Malfoy! Snapdragon gasped. The boy looked up from the book he was reading and smiled.

Professor McGonagall climbed through the portrait hole after Snapdragon.

", up late again?" she smiled. "Ariana, this is one of your housemates, Draco Malfoy. , Miss Dumbledore is a new student. I´ll leave it to you to explain what she needs to know about everday life at Hogwarts, if you don´t mind."

The boy nodded. "It will be my pleasure, professor."

The witch wished them a good night and left.

"Dumbledore?" asked the blond. "Are you a relative to the headmaster?"

Snapdragon made a noncommital noise. "Distant," she added. "I never understood the details. I´ll have to ask Albus, I guess. More people might ask."

"Why don´t you sit down?"

The girl had to fight down all her instincts that told her to either run or attack Draco Malfoy as long as he didn´t have his wand in his hand, but she sat. She even managed a shy smile.

"I´ll rather tell you right away, before you hear from others. My father is the minister of magic, the Dark Lord´s right hand man. I ran away."

"Albus mentioned him sacrificing his son," Snapdragon answered, bewildered. For some minutes she had even pitied Draco Malfoy for dying such a cruel death.

The boy nodded. "He killed my little brother, Isaak, to resurrect his Lord. Of course, he wouldn´t touch his heir. I ran away and Dumbledore took me in. So he lost his heir nevertheless. My mother wrote me a letter to explain. Isaak had been born for the sole purpose of resurrecting that evil creature. The only reason he lived for twelve years was that father hadn´t found the proper spell yet." Draco wiped his face with the back of his hand. "You will find my name on the Slytherin Quidditch trophy," the boy continued his confession, "I was a Slytherin, originally, but when I went to Dumbledore, I had to be resorted. Too many Slytherins are in league with the Dark One. I wouldn´t have survived a week."

"And now you are a Gryffindor."

The boy nodded. "They aren´t too fond of me either, but at least they don´t kill me. – Now for everyday life at Hogwarts." The boy spent the next hour explaining about teachers and meals, Hogsmeade outings and exams.

"The girls´ dormitories are up there," he pointed at a staircase. "I can´t go up to show you, boys aren´t allowed. You´ll have to read the door signs to find the right one."

Snapdragon smiled. "I think I can manage. Thanks for your help." She went upstairs thinking about how this Draco Malfoy was so entirely different from the one she had left behind.

-x-

Snapdragon tiptoed into the sixth year girls´ dormitory. She still had no idea what the actual time was, but seeing that only one student had been in the Common Room, it must be after midnight. She lit the tip of her wand and found an empty bed right by the door. In order not to wake her new room mates, she slid under the duvet in her robes.

The girl was woken by the sound of curious voices.

"Did you hear her come in?"

"Who is she?"

"Why does she come so close to the holidays?"

Snapdragon sat up. "Good morning. I´m – Ariana Dumbledore. I´m new here, obviously. I arrived late yesterday and I didn´t want to wake you."

Three girls stared back at her. One of them looked like Hermione.

"I´m Hermione Granger," said the bushy-haired girl and Snapdragon was glad for that. She nearly had made a mistake when she had introduced herself, so she didn´t think she could remember to call people she had known for years by other names. "These are Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. – Where do you come from?"

Snapdragon did some quick thinking. "I stayed on one of the smaller islands with my family. I was home-schooled so far, but Dad had to admit that he can´t teach me everything I´ll need to take my finals, so he asked Uncle Albus to accept me to Hogwarts for my last year. Uncle Albus insisted that I sit the exams, so I can catch up over the holidays if it turns out that I don´t know enough in some subjects."

Hermione smiled. "We organised a revising circle. You can join if you like."

"That would be very helpful, thank you!" beamed the redhead.

A little later, the girls went down to breakfast together. The sitting arrangements at the Gryffindor table were strange to say the least. All the house was gathered at one end of the table, but for one person. Draco Malfoy was sitting at the far end with half a dozen of empty seats between him and the rest of Gryffindor.

"Why´s he sitting all alone?" Snapdragon asked Hermione as she sat beside her.

"That´s Draco Malfoy," explained the other girl. "His father is a deatheater."

"I know. But I thought Draco isn´t one."

"He´s the son of a deatheater! How can he be anything but one!"

"He told me he ran away after his father had killed his brother. He didn´t sound like a deatheater."

Parvati gasped. "You talked to him?"

"He was at the Common Room when I arrived. He seemed quite nice."

"Nice?" cried a boy from the opposite side of the table. Snapdragon would have guessed his name was Neville Longbottom. "How can you find that scum nice?"

Snapdragon glared at the boy. "He´s a Gryffindor. What happened to house loyalty?" She got up, took her plate and turned to go over to Draco.

"If you go now, you will have no friends either," said the boy.

Snapdragon turned to face him. "I´m a Gryffindor. You can´t scare me."

The whole house watched, dumbfounded, as she sat with Draco.

Draco glanced up at the girl from under his lashes shyly as she sat down opposite him. "You shouldn´t have done that. They won´t talk to you."

"Will you talk to me?" asked the redhead.

"Of course! Nobody stood up for me, ever!"

"Then I won´t be alone." Snapdragon looked at the meagre assortment of dishes on the table. There had been plenty of food where the rest of the house sat. "Don´t tell me the house elves don´t serve you either."

"I get a bowl of porridge for breakfast every day. And some toast and strawberry jam." Draco blushed.

"Why don´t you ask for different things? They have bacon and eggs up there. Don´t you like bacon?"

Draco didn´t reply, but his expression said all Snapdragon needed to know. "Has it been like that ever since you were resorted? – That´s a shame!"

Snapdragon looked down at her plate. She had filled it with her favourite things before she had had that row with the other Gryffindors. "Would you like some of my bacon?" She pushed her plate towards the blond boy.

Draco beamed at the girl and took one slice of bacon. "Thank you!"

"You can have more."

"No, I don´t want to eat what you chose for yourself."

"Nonsense. How about we trade? I give you some more bacon and you give me a slice of toast with jam?"

They did as Snapdragon had suggested.

"How cute, eating from each other´s plate," cooed Lavender mockingly from afar.

Snapdragon felt herself blush. The way Lavender purred and the others laughed, giving Draco her bacon sounded like an indecent thing.

"I´m sorry," muttered the boy without looking up from his plate. "You shouldn´t be in trouble on your first day because of me."

"I´m not in trouble. I did nothing wrong." Snapdragon bit her toast defiantly.

"Miss Dumbledore, the headmaster wishes to see you in his office after breakfast. You are excused from lessons for the morning." Professor McGonagall looked at Snapdragon sternly.

"Yes, Ma`am."

It was only on her way upstairs that the girl remembered that she didn´t have the password to the headmaster´s office. So far she had never needed one other than her private one. How was she to pass the gargoyle?

A redhaired boy waited beside the stone beast.

"Are you Ariana? I´m Fred."

"Hello, Fred. Yes, I´m Ariana."

"Come. – Pumpkin pasty!"

The gargoyle sprang to life and hopped aside to let them pass. Fred led the way up the spiral staircase and knocked at the door. Several people were already waiting for them.

There was a second redhaired boy, George, Snapdragon assumed, as well as the boys´ parents. There were two men, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black, the Potter men along with Mrs. Potter, in whom Snapdragon recognized her former nanny, Iris. And another woman. Poppy Pomfrey.

Snapdragon smiled happily when she recognized so many faces.

"Miss Ariana," Fred introduced his charge.

"I really don´t see why you insist on assembling all the Order to welcome your niece, Albus," complained .

There was a mutter of consent, only the Potters smiled happily.

"If you would, my child?" Albus looked at Snapdragon´s fringe pointedly.

The girl nodded and lifted it.

There were gasps and outcries of joy.

"Praise Fate! The Girl Who Lived rejoined us!" cried Remus Lupin.

The assembled witches and wizards had many questions and Snapdragon had to tell her story once again.

"That´s very interesting," said . "Tell us what the people in that other universe tried. We could learn a lot from their attempts."

"You believe that rubbish?" snarled . "She´s telling fairy tales!"

"If you don´t believe her, where has she been all that time?" asked . She smiled at Snapdragon kindly.

"I told you all along that some deatheater kidnapped her from her Aunt´s house. The little snake has been raised by the enemy!"

"You´re paranoid, Sirius," said . "Look at her, she´s a sweet girl, nothing like a deatheater."

"They tought her to wear a sweet mask. James, don´t be naiv! Lucius Malfoy himself can behave civilly if it´s required." insisted. "If the other universe does exist, then show us."

"My child, you said it was a potion that established the link between the worlds. Can you brew it?"

"I can, but I won´t," said Snapdragon. "I can´t allow you to interfere with that world. My loved ones are there, and I have to keep them safe."

"I understand that," smiled the headmaster, "and I´m not asking you for the recipe. Can you just, well, let us look into that world? And be it only for a moment?"

Snapdragon thought about it. She had assumed she was going to safety, but she had turned up in the middle of a war. She needed those people to trust her and protect her.

"I need a room where I can brew. Nobody will watch me."

"You can use one of the classrooms."

"I want the Room of Requirement."

"The what?"

"The Room of Requirement. It´s on the seventh floor in the other castle."

"I know nothing of such a room," said the headmaster.

"May I look whether it is there?"

The old wizard gave his permission and the witches and wizards followed Snapdragon to the corridor where the Room of Requirement was. Snapdragon thought how she needed a secret laboratory and walked past the wall thrice. When she turned around the last time a door popped into existance and her companions gasped.

"I will brew the potion and call you inside when it is finished. None of you will be told how to make it. It will take two hours." Snapdragon knew the potions could be prepared in less than a quarter hour, but she was not going to give that piece of information away.

Snapdragon entered the lab and gasped. It looked exactly like Dad´s private workroom. She half expected him to enter just behind her. The girl went to the armchair Dad had put in for her when she had been too small to help and never gotten rid of when she had started to assist him.

She spent more than an hour thinking. How much could she tell? Whom could she trust? Albus had said they suspected a traitor, but hadn´t found him or her.


	28. Draco

**Draco**

When the time had come to start brewing, Snapdragon cast a spell to prevent any spying. She then started to make herself a cup of peppermint infusion. The strong scent of the beverage should be enough to cover any smell of the actual brew. She wasn´t going to let those unknown witches and wizards guess a single ingredient if she could help it.

When she only needed to add the last ingredient, Snapdragon opened the door and asked them in.

"I only need to add the last ingredient," she explained. "We never found out how to determine where the worlds touch, or if it is even possible to influence what is seen."

"Does this potion smell of peppermint?" asked .

"That´s my cuppa," said Snapdragon. When everybody turned to look at the innocent cup on the table, she quickly added the missing ingredient. "It starts."

Everybody gasped as the silver mist formed and the window opened.

The scene was very dark, the only light coming from some candles. Nevertheless Snapdragon recognized the men. Dad was kneeling in front of the evil wizard and several deatheaters were watching. The girl knew only by name.

"Severus, I ask for the last time," snarled the Dark Lord, "where is the girl?"

"I don´t know, my Lord," panted Dad. His tone told that he was in pain. "Dumbledore must have hidden her while I was watching over Draco."

"Don´t lie to me! She was seen with you after Dumbledore had left the castle. The old man never left the Astronomy Tower when he returned. At least not in a way which enabled him to hide a girl." The Dark Lord chuckled and the deatheaters laughed at the joke.

"My Lord, you know my daughter´s a skilled witch. She must have carried out a plan I don´t know about. She and Dumbledore were always close. The old man loved her like his own child!"

The Dark Lord stepped closer to Dad. "Legilimens!"

Dad didn´t blink while the evil creature examined his memories.

"He´s telling the truth," stated the monster after a short while. "Lucius, your boy will have to wait for his bride."

"He will, my Lord," said Lucius Malfoy. "He´s young. As long as she´s not given to anybody else, it will be his pleasure to wait for her. Won´t you, Draco?"

"Yes, father." The younger Malfoy stepped out of the shadows and bowed to the Dark Lord.

The mist wavered and the window closed.

There was an uproar.

"Did you see him cowering? I always told you he did nothing special. All he achieved for our cause was father a child. And then he went into hiding!" cried Sirius Black.

"Severus Snape, a deatheater? I can´t believe it!" cried Madam Pomfrey.

"He works as a spy," Snapdragon explained. "He has to stay in the Dark Lord´s good books to help Harry."

"It must be a trick," continued . "Why would Lucius Malfoy want this little girl as a bride for his heir. There´s nothing special about her. We were fooled! We prayed for a saviour, but we got a little girl. She´s just the offspring of a coward. Did you see the fear in his eyes?"

It was too much for Snapdragon. "Don´t insult my Dad!" she shouted at the man and Sirius Black was slammed into the wall like he had been at Grimmauld place a year earlier. The girl´s anger calmed as quickly as it had risen. "Oh my God! I´m sorry!" She pushed past the dumbfounded witches and wizards and started to chant a healing spell over the hurt man.

Only when the small crowd gasped did she realise that she had forgotten to draw her wand.

-x-

Madam Pomfrey hurried to Snapdragon´s side and examined the unconscious body. "What did you do?" she shrieked. She started her own healing spell.

"Keep chanting!" ordered Snapdragon. She rummaged through her bag until she found a vial of Dad´s trademark healing potion and administered three drops carefully. Little later Mr. Black came to.

The man shoved Madam Pomfrey aside and scrambled to his feet. "Did you see that, Albus? I was mistaken! We got a warrior! She didn´t even need her wand! I doubt that you could have done it!"

The present order members looked at the girl hopefully, as if they expected her to go after the Dark Lord right away.

"I can´t control it," she said in a small voice. "It only happened once before. The other Mr. Black insulted my father, too."

"So you can´t do controlled wandless magic?" asked Albus.

"I can," admitted the girl. "But nothing as powerful as just happened. I´m sorry."

"Don´t be, dear child," smiled Albus. "We´ll train you up until you´re strong enough to face him. I´ll personally devise a lesson plan. For now, I suggest you go downstairs for lunch and attend some lessons in the afternoon."

-x-

When Snapdragon entered the Great Hall and went to join her fellow Gryffindors, it was made clear to her that she hadn´t been forgiven sitting with Draco Malfoy at breakfast. Everybody turned their backs on the girl, so she ended up at the end of the table with Draco again.

"I´m sorry," the boy muttered again.

"It really isn´t your fault," Snapdragon smiled weakly.

As none of the other Gryffindors seemed ready to talk to her anyway, Snapdragon went down to the dungeons for potions with Draco. The potions teacher was – Snapdragon was glad Draco had told her before – Iris Potter.

"With the exams so close," the professor started the lesson without preamble, "today´s class will be dedicated to revising the Jubilants. – Mr. Longbottom, how many Jubilants are there?"

The boy – by now Snapdragon knew that the young Longbottom was called Neville in both universes – answered proudly: "There are more than two-hundred, but the main four are Euphoria, Joy, Pleasure and Glee."

"Excellent," praised the teacher. ", describe the properties of Euphoria."

"Adequately brewed, Euphoria is a bright yellow. It´s a thin liquid with a layer of gleaming mist on its surface."

"You forgot to metion the sweet smell, which reminds most people of honey. You must be more diligent in your studies, . – Now, who can describe Joy? Miss Dumbledore?"

"Joy looks and smells exactly like Euphoria, but the brew should be thicker. The difference is caused by the way the cherry roots are cut for the two potions and the lemon juice, which is left out when brewing Joy."

"Very good. – Miss Granger, how about Pleasure?"

"Pleasure is a pink powder. It´s not supposed to be drunk, but applied by touching the skin with it. The powder doesn´t mix well with air. Left in an open jar, it will dissolve to sparks within six hours. Pleasure is hard to brew, because the base has to be stired for nearly ten hours."

"Wonderful. Which leaves us to Glee. What about this one?"

"It is dark. Dark Magic is not tought at Hogwarts!" chorused the class.

Snapdragon couldn´t believe it. How where these children supposed to recognize and defend against a dark potion, if they weren´t tought what it looked like?

It was the same throughout all the classes. Whatever was considered dark, wasn´t tought. The defence class was worst. Dolores Umbridge would have been beside herself with joy – or maybe glee – about how much the students didn´t learn.

There was a practical part of the lesson, but even a second year at Dad´s Hogwarts would have been able to handle these sixth years. Snapdragon had to hold back most of her magic in order not to hurt anybody, which was mostly not to hurt Draco. None of her housemates would team up with her unless made to by the teacher, so the girl worked with Draco in most lessons.

The end of the year exams went well but History of Magic. Despite the similarity of the people and places, history had not been the same in the two universes. Albus reassured Snapdragon that it was no problem for her to drop the subject the next year. The girl was glad about that. Reading up on history all summer didn´t seem tempting at all.

It was agreed that Snapdragon was to spend the summer holidays at the castle. Albus seemed uneasy about not being able to provide her with a better place to stay at, but Snapdragon beamed at him and explained that she considered Hogwarts the best place in the world to spend her holidays at.

The redhead wasn´t the only student to stay at the castle over the summer. Draco Malfoy had to stay, too, as his father had vowed to kill him personally after he had turned his back on the family.

The blond was glad to have company his own age. He had spent all his summers ever since his father had killed his younger son to revive his master at the safety of Hogwarts castle. "The headmaster always tried to keep me entertained. He brought me books and gave me some extra lessons, but he never succeeded in making me forget that I´m barely more than a prisoner," Draco explained when they went down to the lake after the other students had left for the station. "I´m glad I´ll have company this year. We can explore the forest or go swimming if you want."

"I´d like that," replied Snapdragon. "Can we go to the forest first?" She wanted to learn as much as possible about the surroundings of the castle.

"We can go today," offered the boy. "We only have to notify your uncle."

"You go and tell him. I go to the kitchens and ask for a picnic basket." As the elves hadn´t been fooled about her identity for a second the first time she had gone to see them, Snapdragon was quite sure that the picnic was going to be better if she asked for the food rather than the blond.

They met on the lawn a little later and off they went. "He says you´re to see him when we´re back," Draco informed the girl. He took the basket from her to carry it.

Snapdragon was a bit surprised that the old wizard had nothing against two students going to the Forbidden Forest alone, but maybe the forest in this universe didn´t hold the same dangers.

"We have to be careful, there are creatures in here," Draco continued as they made their way along a winding path. "There are spells to keep the really dangerous ones from the path, but nevertheless."

The girl promised to look out for beasts and they hiked on in silence. Two hours later they found a small clearing. "What about lunch?" suggested Draco.

Snapdragon unpacked their meal and they enjoyed it on the chequered blanket the house elves had put into the basket.

"Do you often come here?" asked the redhead.

"There´s not really much to do here at summer. If you have to stay within the wards, you can go to the forest or the lake. Or the library, but Madam Pince doesn´t really like students to come there when she has to take stock and place her orders for new books. And, honestly, how much reading do you want after a school year of studying?"

The girl laughed. "You have a point, but we could still roam the dungeons."

"I´m not sure Dumbledore would approve."

They laughed and decided to try it one day.

-x-

The sun was already close to the horizon when they returned to the castle. Albus awaited them at the main entrance.

"You are late," he said sternly but not unkindly. "I was beginning to worry."

"I´m sorry," smiled Snapdragon, "I didn´t know you expected us back early."

"When said you were going to the forest, I expected you back after two or three hours. That´s the time he took for his walks to the woods in the past."

"It´s more fun in company," said Draco. "And we took a picnic."

"I see," Albus smiled. "Ariana, kindly come to my office with me. Mr. Malfoy." The old wizard smiled at the boy.

"You really shouldn´t associate too closely with the Malfoy boy," the headmaster said once they were in his office. "You saw how the house reacted the past two weeks. If you want to stand a chance against the Dark Lord, you´ll need them as allies."

"I may need Draco as an ally, too," Snapdragon pointed out. She had been here for a fortnight, but it was already clear for her that she didn´t like this Albus as much as the one she had come to think of hers. The one who had died protecting Draco Malfoy although he was in league with the enemy. This Albus disliked the blond boy despite he had turned his back on his family for their link to evil.

-x-

The next day Snapdragon – Ariana – was invited to the Weasley family´s small house. Draco, not being included in the invitation, stayed at the Common Room reading up on magical creatures of the carribean islands.

"Ariana," cried when Snapdragon arrived at the family´s home, "What a pleasure to have you here! Fred and George have been talking of nothing else since Arthur told them you had agreed to come."

The two boys greeted the young witch happily and offered to show her where she could go flying. Snapdragon liked the idea and they went to the Quidditch pitch together. Since she had had no idea what they were going to do, Snapdragon hadn´t brought her broomstick, but she was given one of the school brooms.

The girl hadn´t felt that happy since she had come to this world. Flying had always given her a feeling of freedom and today wasn´t different.

The three young people chased each other around the pitch for nearly an hour before Fred suggested to play a little Quidditch.

"If Draco was here, we could play two on two," Snapdragon pointed out.

Both boys snorted and they played one on one. George released a snitch and the rules were simple. Who caught the snitch won. It wasn´t much different from what they had done before and the girl felt that a game with four players would have been more interesting, but she didn´t say anything as the young Weasleys obviously wanted nothing to do with Draco.

-x-

Snapdragon spent the next days alone. Playing with the Weasleys had reminded her of the friends she had had to leave behind. She took long walks around the lake and sat on the beach, thinking about Dad, and what he had had to do, and Harry. Some days she felt fearful, some she was full of hope that everything was going to be well. Part of the girl wanted to brew the Potion again and talk to Dad, but she felt watched most of the time. Whenever she was inside the castle, Albus seemed to be lurking around the next corner. And if the old man wasn´t there, professor McGonagall or Madam Pomfrey were. Snapdragon wasn´t sure that those people weren´t trying to get the recipe for her potion, so she thought it was better not to brew it at the time being.

The girl went down to the lake frequently. There, she would sit by the edge of the water and watch the waves. It was a harmless passtime. After about a week she realised that her shadows refused to watch her sit by the water for hours, which made the lake even more attractive to her.

She had just sat down in the shadow of a willow, hidden from plain view by some bushes, when she heard soft footsteps. Snapdragon turned to see who had been assigned guarding her, curious why this person would come to her instead of lurking nearby like the others did.

It was Draco.

"I´m sorry, I didn´t mean to disturb you," the blond turned immediately when he spotted Snapdragon.

"You don´t disturb me." Snapdragon didn´t think that Draco was there by Albus´ order, given the dislike this headmaster felt for the boy. "Why don´t you sit down?"

Draco looked undecided.

Snapdragon remembered that the boy had no friends in Gryffindor. Probably he hadn´t been invited to join anybody in years. She patted the spot beside her.

The boy obeyed hesitantly and sat. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with me after your talk with the headmaster."

Snapdragon waited for the boy to elaborate. He did when she was just going to give up. "I know he took me in grudgingly and he´s not happy the hat put me in Gryffindor. I think he´d have prefered me to stay in Slytherin and be killed."

"He wouldn´t want that," said Snapdragon, but she wasn´t sure it was true.

The two Gryffindors sat in companionable silence until it was time to go inside for supper.

The next day Sirius Potter invited Snapdragon to a boat trip on the lake.

-x-

"It´s sad that you know so little about this world," said Sirius as he rowed to the middle of the lake. "First you were gone for so many years, and now you can´t learn much about this world outside the Hogwarts grounds. Albus says it´s too risky."

Snapdragon smiled weakly. The other students hadn´t been gone for more than a few days and she already felt like a prisoner. True, she hadn´t left the grounds for the last two summers, but with Dad it had been different.

"I can try and bring the world to you when you can´t go out," Sirius continued, oblivious to Snapdragon´s melancholy. "Do you like newspapers? Magazines? I can also bring books and pictures."

"That would be nice," agreed Snapdragon. "I´d like something to catch up with what´s going on here. Recent history, so to speak."

Sirius found them a nice bay, which got some shadow from huge trees, and they had a picnic there. The boy told funny little stories about his time at Hogwarts – he had graduated a year ago – and how his parents had been assigned guarding the place from where the Girl Who Lived had disappeared.

"We never thought you were actually going to show up at the house, but we had to make sure you found friends there if you did. Albus was furious when you were gone. He nearly killed your uncle, because the muggles hadn´t taken proper care of you."

"Lucius Malfoy killed my aunt," Snapdragon mentioned the only thing she remembered from the day she had met Dad.

"He did," agreed her companion. "but when you disappeared an alarm went off in Albus´s office. Malfoy must have known. He was no longer there when Albus arrived, and it can´t have been longer than two minutes after you went through the mirror. – It´s amazing how often I stood in front of that mirror and never realized that you had used it as a door."

"How could you? You were a little boy," grinned Snapdragon.

They went back a little later and Snapdragon was glad to see Draco on the lawn. Sirius, although eager to please, was not too pleasant company. The redhead half expected him to drop to his knees and worship her any minute.

-x-

Two weeks into the holidays Albus presented his training plan to Snapdragon. There were lessons planned every day, even on weekends, and always one in the morning and one midafternoon.

"Albus, can this be changed a bit?" asked the girl. "There´s practically no time for things like swimming or hiking. You didn´t even leave me enough leisure time apiece to read more than a chapter!"

"My dear child," smiled Albus, but the trademark twinkle of his eyes, which Snapdragon had come to associate with the old sorcerer, missed, "the Order members are giving up their leisure time to train you. You will have to take the time they can offer."

Snapdragon found it strange that those people had rather time midafternoon than in the evening, but what was she to say?

There were extra potions lessons with Madam Potter, duelling lessons with Albus, Mr. Black, Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin in turn and charms lessons with Fred and George.

The girl spent most of the little free time she had with Draco, but they could barely do much more than walk down to the lake, because of the inconvenient time table the redhead had been given.

Lessons went well enough. Mrs. Potter was scandalized when she heard that Snapdragon already knew how to brew the potions that weren´t taught at this Hogwarts, but she was full of praise for the girl´s brewing abilities in general.

Duelling with various order members was fun. Snapdragon enjoyed the competition, but was careful never to use her full power in order not to hurt anybody as she had seen more than once what her power could do to a person she caught unaware.

Fred and George didn´t teach Snapdragon anything new. The redhead was under the impression that they were to find out how powerful she really was by practicing old spells.

"Can you do it without a wand?" was the question asked at least thrice in every lesson.

Snapdragon had already let slip that she could do some wandless magic and sticked to admitting that she could summon things wandlessly, but not much more. She also feigned a distance restriction to her wandless summoning charms. She never summoned anything from another room without a wand.

Fred and George were funny. They also brought little presents, sweets and flowers, to the lessons, and did everything to keep their saviour to be happy and entertained.

"Have you chosen yet?" asked Draco when they went down to the lake after Snapdragon´s duelling lesson in mid-August. The blond carried a big bag with towels and blankets. It had been an especially hot day and they had decided to go swimming despite it was a little late for that.

"Chosen?" Snapdragon asked curiously. Now, what was that to mean?

Draco laughed. "Don´t tell me that you didn´t even realise that the Weasleys and the Potter boy are courting you like there was no tomorrow? – Hang on, you didn´t! What did you think they brought the flowers for? And why would the Potter boy accompany his parents to all your lessons? Not to assist his mum cutting daisy roots!"

Snapdragon blushed. It made sense.

Draco laughed even harder. "You are sweet. Come! Who´s last in the water is a snail!" He set off for the beach at top speed.

The redhead followed with flying hair and robes.

Once by the lake, both teenagers slipped out of their robes and ran into the water.

"I was first!" cried Snapdragon happily.

"I was!" protested Draco. "You are a snail!"

"No, you are!"

They started a splashing war, and when that didn´t grant him victory, Draco threw himself at the girl and they wrestled in the water, each trying to submerge the other between giggles.

Suddenly Draco went all rigid and fell. Snapdragon had to duck under the water and hold him up to make sure he didn´t drown.

"What was that good for?" she shouted at Sirius Potter, who was standing beside their bag.

"He attacked you!"

"Nonsense! We had a water battle! Don´t you recognize a water battle when you see one? Lift that spell! Now!"

"I won´t," replied Sirius stubbornly. "I won´t allow this deatheater scum to touch you!"

"Fine!" raged Snapdragon. She waved her hand over Draco and lifted the spell herself. "And for your information, I didn´t mind him touching me. If I had, I wouldn´t have allowed it myself!"

"Mum said you have a strange affinity for evil. Must be your upbringing. Come out of the water now. And for Merlin´s sake. Stop. Touching. Him."

Snapdragon realised only then that she was still holding Draco.

"I´ll touch him as much as I want. It´s none of your business," snapped the girl and before she realised what she was doing, she scooped and kissed the blond.

Draco didn´t complain. He brought an arm up to pull her a little closer and stood without breaking the kiss. Snapdragon would never have dreamed that her very first kiss would be with Draco Malfoy of all people and that she´d enjoy it. But enjoy it she did. A lot.

"Albus won´t be happy!" she heard Sirius cry. The girl opened an eye – when had she closed them? – and watched him stomp off, obviously seething with anger.

Draco broke the kiss at last and looked at the redhead questioningly. Snapdragon blushed. What had she done! She had practically jumped the boy!

"I´m sorry," she started awkwardly. "I didn´t mean to..."

It must have been the wrong thing to say, for Draco´s expression hardened. "Of course you didn´t," he muttered bitterly and stomped out of the water. The boy shrugged into his robes and set off to the castle.

Snapdragon was dumbfounded. "Draco!" The blond didn´t turn around.

Tiredly the redhead waded out of the water and sat on one of the towels. For the first time in her life she felt lonely at Hogwarts.


	29. A Big Secret

**A Big Secret**

Snapdragon didn´t see Draco for more than a week. The blond didn´t come to the meals in the Great Hall. He avoided the library, a place where they had met frequently in the past, and he never sat in the Gryffindor Common Room. All the girl saw from him was a glimpse of his light hair when she came down for breakfast one day. He was heading towards the forest.

"It seems Mr. Malfoy has discovered a fondness of hiking," Albus said from somewhere behind Snapdragon. "I wonder what drove him out of the castle."

The girl turned and one look into the old man´s face told only too clearly that he knew exactly why Draco avoided her. Snapdragon wanted to shout at her godfather, but didn´t. For what would it change?

After a week the blond returned to the Great Hall, but he made sure never to sit beside Snapdragon during meals. He wolfed down his food and left early enough to hide away in his dorm before the girl returned to Gryffindor house.

The day before the other students returned, Snapdragon had had enough. She excused herself from the table after Draco had left – the content faces the older witches and wizards made over their quarrel were disgusting! – and followed him upstairs to Gryffindor Tower. Only this time she didn´t return to her own dorm. She crossed her fingers for the rules being the same as in her old home and stepped onto the staircase leading up to the boys´ rooms.

Nothing happened.

Snapdragon realized only then that she had been holding her breath. Slowly, but with determination, she climbed the stairs to the sixth years´ dormitory. She knocked, but didn´t wait for an answer before she stepped inside.

Draco looked up from his trunk, in which he had been rummaging.

"We have to talk," said the redhead.

"You´ve said enough, thank you."

"Draco!"

"I don´t see what you´d want to say? Haven´t you made your point clear? You regret having kissed me. I understood the first time you said it, thank you. I may be despicable, but I´m not stupid."

"You are not despicable and I don´t regret having kissed you."

"So, why did you say it? Did you think it was fun? That it would get you back in the others´ good books? Pity they didn´t see it, but maybe Potter told them."

"Will you stop that and just listen?" Snapdragon swallowed hard. Apologizing to Draco didn´t come easy, although she had accepted that this boy was nothing like the arrogant git she had left behind. "What I regret is not having kissed you, but having kissed you to annoy Sirius Potter. I used you. I regret that. I´m sorry."

"You don´t regret the kiss?"

"Not at all. I enjoyed it." Snapdragon blushed, but she felt she had to say it or Draco wouldn´t forgive her.

The blond abandoned whatever he had been looking for in his trunk and stepped closer to Snapdragon. He leant forward very slowly, searching the girl´s eyes for a sign of repulsion or refusal. When he found none, he touched his lips to hers carefully.

Snapdragon kissed back with equal care. This kiss, though full of doubt, was so much better than their first! It made Snapdragon feel cared for, wanted and protected. She felt like she was floating on a wave of joy.

After what could have been seconds or hours, Draco ended the kiss in favour of a tight embrace. "I enjoyed it, too, Ariana."

-x-

Snapdragon lay awake all night. Her lips still tingled with Draco´s kiss.

Draco.

Draco, who knew her as Ariana.

How was he going to react when he learned that she was Snapdragon?

She was going to lose him! Snapdragon cried a little about losing Draco and then she cried a lot about being all alone in a world where people looked so familiar, but were strangers. When she had calmed down, she cried a little more about losing Draco, before she fell into a restless sleep shortly before sunrise.

When Snapdragon left her dormitory for breakfast, Draco waited for her in the Common Room.

"Do you have time to go hiking with me today?" he asked after a peck on the girl´s cheek. "Surely the teachers are too busy today to give you extra lessons. I can´t believe your home schooling was so bad that you needed so many over the summer."

"Uncle Albus is just overprotective," lied the redhead. "He wants me to do well in my NEWTs."

Draco snorted. "That, and keep you away from the junior deatheater."

"He never said so, but probably you´re right," sighed Snapdragon. "I´d love to go hiking with you today." The girl changed topic.

Albus didn´t look pleased when Snapdragon told him where – and with whom – she was going to spend the day. He even pointed out that he had asked young Sirius to keep Snapdragon entertained, when he – Albus – had no time for her. As he could hardly forbid the girl to go, the headmaster ordered them to at least be back by four in the afternoon.

The day in the forest was wonderful. It was warm, but not too hot. Again, Draco carried a picnic basket and they walked for some time in silence. The blond led the way to a small lake in the middle of the forest and the redhead couldn´t but wonder whether this lake existed in the other world, too. She had never seen it.

The boy went to a beautiful place by the water with bushes and a willow and started to unpack his basket.

"I hope the location meets your wishes, Mylady," he said with a dramatical gesture at their surrounding at large.

"It does indeed, Mylord," Snapdragon answered in the same playful tone.

"In this case," Draco bowed, "lunch is served." He held out his hand to help Snapdragon sit down.

They had sandwiches, chicken salad and pumpkin juice. For dessert, the house elves had provided strawberry cake.

"That was delicious, thank you," sighed Snapdragon after the last bit of cake.

"I´m glad you enjoyed it," Draco shifted a little closer to the girl.

"A lot," smiled Snapdragon and leaned over to kiss him.

The kiss was short, but sweet. "Can we talk?" the blond asked awkwardly after he had retreated to his side of the blanket.

"Of course. What about?"

"This." Draco wiggled his finger between himself and Snapdragon.

"Oh." Snapdragon cast her eyes down to her knees. Had two days been enough to make Draco feel fed up with her?

"We should keep it secret," continued the boy, oblivious of Snapdragon´s fear.

"If you prefer to." So he was ashamed of her.

There was an awkward silence between them. Snapdragon registered that the squares on their blanket were exactly seven threads long and only six wide. Nevertheless they appeared square, not only rectangular. Strange.

"I think it´s wise," Draco said finally. "You don´t need to be known to be kissing the resident deatheater. The other Gryffindors avoid you enough for merely talking to me. And it might put you in danger if Father ever learned I love you."

Snapdragon looked at the boy, startled.

Draco blushed. "I´m sorry. It seems we both aren´t good at firsts. I shouldn´t have told you for the first time like this. What you have to know, Ariana, is that you´re the sweetest and kindest girl I´ve ever met. My heart is all yours."

It was strange how a confession of love could do it, but hearing Draco confess his love for the non-existant Ariana broke Snapdragon´s heart in two. How could this kind boy ever love her, when he had lost his heart to her alter ego? The girl fell on the blond´s neck and sobbed all the despair she felt into his robes.

Draco had no idea what was going on, but he put his arms around the crying girl and patted her back soothingly from time to time.

When Snapdragon and Draco returned to the castle five minutes after four, they were awaited by an impatient headmaster by the entrance.

"You are late."

"Sorry, Sir," chorussed the teenagers.

Albus looked at Snapdragon´s redrimmed eyes and then glared angrily at Draco. "What have you done to her?"

"Nothing, uncle," cried the girl before the blond could answer. "I´m alright."

"Are you sure, child?"

Snapdragon nodded and the old wizard let them pass.

Up in Gryffindor tower, the girl found that the sign at the door of her dorm had been changed to say ´Seventh years´ in her absence. She changed into her school robes and went downstairs to wait for the other students to arrive. Draco was waiting at the Common Room again and they walked downstairs together. They were careful not to touch, for when Snapdragon had calmed down by the lake, they had agreed to keep their love secret.

Draco thought it was for his girl´s protection, but Snapdragon didn´t even want to think what the Dark Lord would do to Draco if he found out that the boy was involved with the Girl Who Lived.

-x-

The other Gryffindors´ attitude towards their new housemate Ariana hadn´t changed one bit over the summer. They still weren´t ready to forgive her for talking to Draco, let alone follow her lead and make the blond a true member of their house. As a result Snapdragon spent a lot of time with her boyfriend, so she didn´t mind the Gryffindors´ hostility very much. They walked to lessons together and sat with each other during meals. Whenever Snapdragon wasn´t busy with extra lessons, they did their homework together.

"Ariana," said Albus as he shrugged out of his heavy robes for a duel, "you really shouldn´t associate so closely with Draco Malfoy. It´s not wise to alienate the rest of Gryffindor house."

"My name is Snapdragon, not Ariana. I´d prefer you to use it when we´re in private," replied the redhead. "And it´s none of your business how closely I associate with whom. The way Draco Malfoy is treated in Gryffindor is a shame. It´s against anything Gryffindor stands for and I don´t understand why you let them get away with it."

Albus looked at the girl inquiringly. "What does Gryffindor house stand for, in your opinion?"

"Bravery, loyalty, friendship. Gryffindors do what is right, not what is convenient. Gryffindors recognize courage where they find it and they respect it even in their worst enemy. The sorting hat put Draco Malfoy into the house after he stood up against his own family. The hat is a magical item and cannot be fooled. If it says Draco is a true Gryffindor, then he is, and it should be good enough for the rest of the house."

Albus chuckled. "My dear child. I put a confundus spell on the hat to get Draco out of Slytherin. And it wasn´t even a very strong one."

"Are you sure it worked?" Snapdragon met Albus eyes unblinkingly. "The hat was created by a founder. You are powerful, Albus, but are you more powerful than Godric Gryffindor himself?"

That evening Snapdragon had to use all her power to withstand Albus´ attacks. The old man was angry and he put all his skill into his assaults.

"That was a good lesson," Albus said when they ended the fight. "Perhaps we should quarrel before each training session. I stick with what I said, though. Keep away from the Malfoy boy!"

From this evening on Snapdragon´s number of extra lessons increased.

-x-

Shortly before Halloween the redhead hid away in the Room of Requirement. She felt lonely and miserable, because she could hardly ever steal a private minute with the one person she felt comfortable with in this world.

She needed to know how her loved ones were.

With well-practiced moves she brewed her potion and moved closer to the little window that formed in the silver mist.

She saw the headmaster´s office and – oh joy! – Dad was there!

Carefully, she watched whether she could see another person and when she was sure he was alone, she cried out to him.

"Dad!"

"Snapdragon, my girl!" Dad looked around in the office to see where the voice came from. "Where are you? – No! Wait! Don´t tell me!"

"I won´t. How are you, Dad? What are you doing in Albus´s office?"

"The Dark Lord has taken over the ministry. I´m the new headmaster of Hogwarts on his behalf. I´m less able to protect you than ever, my child." Dad sounded very sad about that.

"Don´t be sad, I´m safe here. I just wanted to see how you are and the others. Tell me, what happened?"

Dad´s face became a mask of grieve. "I killed Albus, like he had asked me to."

"And you did a very good job, Severus," Albus´ portrait chimed in from behind the potions master. "I couldn´t have wished for a better assassin! – Hello, Snapdragon."

"Hello, Albus. How are Harry and the others, with the Dark Lord in control of Hogwarts?"

"Harry, Ron and Hermione are on the run," Dad informed her. "Your other friends are here and they aren´t very well. The Dark Lord replaced several teachers with his servants and they treat Gryffindor very badly. I try to protect them, but there´s not much I can do without compromising my position with the Dark Lord."

"I´m sure you´re doing a good job," Snapdragon said soothingly.

"And you, child? How are you?"

"I´m safe, but troubled. I found a boy I really like," Dad smiled at that and Snapdragon didn´t dare mention the boy´s name, "but he doesn´t know my true name. I´m using an alias over here. I´m so sad I have to lie to him."

The mist started to waver and Snapdragon knew the connection was about to break. "I love you, Dad!"

"If that boy loves you, he´ll understand when he finds out about the alias. I love you, too, my daughter."

The mist turned grey and Snapdragon was alone again.

-x-

The Halloween festivities at home had always been Snapdragon´s favourite time of the year, but perhaps Christmas. Never was the castle more colourful, joyous and full of life. The decorations she found at her new home, when she came down for breakfast, made it clear that she couldn´t expect anything equally cheerful here.

There were some pumpkin lanterns, but not much more.

Lessons were continued until the late afternoon and nobody wore costumes for the feast. By evening Snapdragon was surprised that there was a feast at all. The only difference to any other ordinary evening was a wide assortment of sweets as dessert.

The redhead was considering whether to have a candy apple or a pumpkin pasty when the door of the Great Hall opened and Sybil Trelawney entered. Her huge glasses were askew and the woman was a bit unsteady on her feet. If this Sybil Trelawney had anything in common with the one Snapdragon had known for years, she must have been near her favourite sherry earlier that evening.

"Praise the Gods!" cried the devination teacher. "I´ve seen her! The Chosen One will return and save us all! Fate will show mercy and grant us salvation!"

Her words caused an uproar. Most of the students cheered. Several Slytherins left the Great Hall at a run. The headmaster came to meet the seer halfway down the aisle and helped her to the Head Table.

When the woman had settled down and the turmoil had calmed, Albus Dumbledore rose.

"Silence!" he ordered in a firm voice and caused the last excited cries to stop. "These are good news, indeed, which professor Trelawney delivered to us, my children. Let´s not forget, however, that the fine art of devination rarely gives us a precise time when to expect an event. So let´s take this for what it really is: an encouraging look into the future. And let´s hope it´s not a very distant one. Good night." Before he sat down, the headmaster gestured everybody to leave and the students obeyed.

Snapdragon and Draco were among the last to leave the Great Hall. They ascended the stairs slowly and, when the other Gryffindors were out of sight, sneaked into an empty classroom.

"What do you think?" Draco asked, excited.

"Think?"

"About the Saviour coming back!"

"I´m not sure."

"Not sure? Ariana! If the Girl of the Prophecy comes back and vanquishes this dark creature for good, I´ll be free to leave Hogwarts! I´ll be able to take you to wonderful places! We can see the world! – Oh, sometimes I hate her for not being here when we need her so desperately!"

Snapdragon shuddered. Draco hated her!

The boy pulled her in a tight embrace, oblivious to the emotional turmoil he had just caused. "Don´t be afraid, sweetheart. The seer said she is near. Soon our lives will be ours to live as we please." He stroked Snapdragon´s hair some times before he disentangled himself from her desperate grip enough to kiss her. Snapdragon kissed back as if there was no tomorrow, for if Draco ever found out, there wasn´t.

They were interrupted rudely by none other than professor Potter.

"Miss Dumbledore!" the potions mistress snapped from behind them. "Stop this inappropriate behaviour at once! Mr. Malfoy, take your hands off this girl!"

The teenagers broke the kiss, but Draco held Snapdragon´s hand when they turned to face the irate teacher.

"My son hasn´t been speaking of any other girl ever since he met you," Iris Potter continued. "He´s completely infatuated with you, but seemingly your taste runs for other criteria than integrity and loyalty! I should have guessed when you knew all that dark stuff when you returned. What have those people taught you? They took a little angel from us and sent back a dark creature at the edge of the abyss. I really can´t see how a fallen angel is supposed to save us all!"

Draco looked at the seething woman and his girlfriend – who was radiating fury in waves – in turn.

"Ah, didn´t you tell him?" laughed Madam Potter. "Doesn´t the junior deatheater know that he´s snogging his master´s downfall? Has he overlooked the famous scar in the throes of passion?" The woman giggled and then became very serious. "To bed, both of you! Now!"

Draco gaped at the teacher, while Snapdragon stood motionlessly. Then he turned and slowly lifted Snapdragon´s fringe. A flash of betrayal showed in his silver grey eyes before they narrowed.

"Liar!"

That said the blond stomped out of the classroom, up to Gryffindor Tower. Snapdragon stood small, trying to fight back the tears. When she thought she had herself under enough control not to cry in front of Mrs. Potter, she set out to follow him.

"I´m sure Sirius is still interested," smiled Mrs. Potter, her sweet self again.

"So am I," Snapdragon hissed through gritted teeth. "Draco, wait for me!" she cried although she knew he was too far to hear her. Without looking back at the woman she fell into a run and didn´t stop until she had reached her dorm.

Once there, she scrambled under her sheets, cast a nonverbal silencing charm and cried to her heart´s content.


	30. Prisoners

**Prisoners**

It was amazing how two people could be in the same room and never actually meet. Snapdragon had the same timetable as Draco had, but the blond was an artist when it came to avoiding the girl. He went to classes earlier or later, sat on different sides of the room during lessons, but never beside Snapdragon like he had done for the past two months. They sat opposite each other at mealtimes, but Draco had discovered a new fascination for his food and kept staring at his plate all the time.

When Snapdragon tried to talk to him at mealtimes, the boy started to hum a little melody, and Snapdragon gave up every single time.

Somehow the rest of Gryffindor house must have learned what had happened between their two outcasts, though they obviously had no idea about the reason for their split-up. Nobody said anything, but the glances and smirks said more than words could have. As a result, Snapdragon felt more lonely than ever in her life. More than once she woke after a nightmare, thinking she was locked up all alone in a dark place, and it took her more than two weeks to figure out that said dark place probably was the cupboard in which she had slept while under her aunt´s care.

The girl´s only comfort was the photograph she had brought from home. She hid away in empty classrooms for hours, staring at the picture with Harry, Dad and Albus waving at her.

More than once Snapdragon was tempted to brew her potion and speak with Dad, but she couldn´t. Knowing her safe was what kept Dad going, she couldn´t make him miserable by telling him how bad she felt.

On Christmas Eve, Snapdragon sat in her favourite spot in the empty classroom near the charms department. She touched Dad´s smiling face gently with her index, when somebody settled down beside her awkwardly.

"Who are those people?"

Snapdragon pressed the photograph to her chest to hide the picture, but it was pulled back gently.

"Is this your boyfriend?"

The redhead stared at Draco with tearstained eyes. How could he think that of her?

"You are my boyfriend!" she protested, only to add softly, "or at least you were."

"Who are they?" Draco insisted equally softly.

"My Dad and my brother," Snapdragon pointed at the two of them. "And Albus."

"The headmaster knew all along where you were?"

"No," Snapdragon shook her head and sent her long locks dangling. "Not the headmaster. Albus."

"I don´t understand the difference."

Snapdragon put up a silencing charm and told Draco about her home in the other universe. "I returned when Dad had to choose between me and Harry and he couldn´t protect me any longer," she ended her tale.

Draco looked at the girl wide-eyed, as if searching her face for traces of betrayal. "It´s true," he said at last.

Snapdragon nodded.

"Was I, I mean, was the other Draco Malfoy your boyfriend, too?" the blond asked shyly.

Snapdragon laughed bitterly. "I had to flee because of him. The other Draco Malfoy is a loyal deatheater," Snapdragon looked at the boy beside her. "He has nothing in common with you, but the face. He´s not kind and good. He´s cruel and arrogant. We´ve been enemies ever since he entered Hogwarts. Last year he demanded my hand and the Dark Lord supported the demand. Dad couldn´t say no, but he used Albus as an excuse why I couldn´t get married right away. When Albus died, I had to run."

"Why would he want to marry an enemy?" Draco was puzzled.

"I´m powerful," sighed Snapdragon. "and I wasn´t able to hide it from him. A powerful wife under his control would further the influence of the Malfoys."

"Sounds like the other Draco´s my father´s dream heir."

"They´d get along splendidly," Snapdragon confirmed.

They sat in silence for a little while.

"Why didn´t you tell me?" Draco broke the silence at last.

"First I wasn´t sure whether I could trust you, and then our first kiss went so wrong. And after that you said you loved Ariana and hated Snapdragon. How could I have told you? I was so afraid to lose you!"

"But you must have known that I would be cross if I found out later."

Snapdragon wrapped her arms around her knees and burried her face in the crook of her arms. "When you have the choice of losing a loved one now or later, what would you choose?" she asked, her voice muffled by the layers of fabric.

Again there was silence. The girl thought Draco had tiptoed out of the room, but then some strands of her hair were brushed back and a kiss was pressed to the patch of skin revealed. "Will you take me back, please?"

-x-

The new term was much better than the first, with Snapdragon and Draco reunited. Albus was livid when he learned that his goddaughter had informed "the junior deatheater" of her identity, but the redhead couldn´t have cared less.

Since all of Gryffindor house knew about their relationship anyway, Snapdragon – or rather Ariana for the house – and Draco sat in quiet corners of the Common Room in the evening, holding hands. In the beginning they were eyed curiously, but after less than a week Gryffindor house had gone back to ignoring them.

In March Snapdragon contacted Dad again. He sounded tired, but so far Harry, Ron and Hermione were safe. Neville Longbottom – or at least Dad suspected it was him – had started an underground organization within Hogwarts to hide students from their deatheater teachers. Snapdragon informed Dad that the boy she had fallen in love with had understood that she couldn´t tell him about her true identity – she left out the two months of misery to spare Dad the pain – and that she was very happy.

The school year passed quickly, with extra lessons – now nearly all of them were about duelling – and regular homework and Draco, and before Snapdragon knew, her NEWTs were just around the corner.

"Do you know what you´ll wear?" asked Draco as they walked down the lawn to the lake one sunny afternoon.

"Wear? What for?"

"The Outing!"

"What Outing?" Snapdragon had no idea what the blond was talking about.

"The Grand Outing of the Seventh Years! It´s traditional! – Don´t they have it in the other world?"

Snapdragon shook her head and Draco explained. Every year, one week before the exams started, the graduating class of Hogwarts went to Hogsmeade in their finest robes. Witches and wizards from all over the country came to wish them luck. It was a very important event. Contacts were made, apprenticeships offered, and many of the graduates found their first jobs on the occasion. Family and friends came to see them as children for one last time, for with their graduation the students became adults.

The girl was surprised that being regarded as grown up had nothing to do with the date of birth in this universe and she asked herself how many more differences she was going to discover as time went by.

"Won´t it be too dangerous for you to go?" she asked instead.

"I have to! How am I to find a job when nobody knows I graduate? And I´m going to need one with Father having disenherited me."

Snapdragon asked Albus about the Outing during their next duelling lesson.

"Funny that you ask," said the old man. "I was going to bring it up today. You have to go, of course. Albus Dumbledore´s niece has to be initiated to society properly. Don´t be afraid, my child. All of the Order will be there to watch over you. You´ll be completely safe."

"What do I wear? I mean, what should I wear for the occasion?"

Albus smiled. "Anything will do. Don´t make it too gaudy, but a beautiful young lady like yourself will look good in any set of robes."

-x-

As shopping was out of the question, Snapdragon transfigured one of her school robes for the occasion. Draco had said he was going to wear dark grey robes, so the redhead settled for light grey ones. She added some darker grey and green embroidery to make the robes more elegant.

The day of the Outing was sunny, but not too hot. The seventh years were busy all morning, because everybody wanted to show themselves at their best. The headmaster himself led the way for the students down from the castle towards the magical village.

Snapdragon saw teachers and order members in the crowd by the road as she walked beside Draco, their hands touching gently and reassuringly all the time. When the procession reached Hogsmeade´s main street, the crowd moved in on the youngsters. Family greeted the students and business men came to ask students about the fields they excelled in. Within a quarter hour Snapdragon was offered two apprenticeships – one by a potions master and one by a witch who made protective amulets.

The girl put the parchments with their offers into her pocket. Each held exact information which NEWTs her possible masters expected from an apprentice and where to turn to if she decided to accept the offer.

Draco didn´t get any offers. His father was a man of influence and the blond had expected that only few would be ready to stand up to the minister by employing his runaway son. As nobody came to offer a job or wish him luck for his finals, he stayed close to Snapdragon to guard her back.

Nevertheless it came as a complete surprise when they were grabbed from behind and apparated away.

-x-

As soon as they appeared at their goal, Snapdragon and Draco were seperated. The girl tried to take in as much of her surroundings as possible. If she wanted to escape, she had to know where she was.

"We know that you don´t need a wand, Miss Snape," drawled a cold voice from a little to the left.

Snapdragon tried to turn to see the speaker, but the person holding her from behind didn´t allow her much room for movement.

"Rest assured," a man stepped closer, his steps echoing in the huge hall-like room, "that my traiterous son will pay for the tiniest bit of magic from you. Dearly."

"Run!" Draco cried from a short distance. "He will kill me anyway!"

Lucius Malfoy tsked. "Draco, Draco. Didn´t I teach you anything? Why would I kill you, when you´re still valuable for me? You see, son, as Miss Snape here is very attached to you, you´re the perfect bait for her as long as you´re alive." The man smiled.

Snapdragon tried to wriggle free from her guard, but she stopped immediately when the blond wizard pointed his wand at Draco and cast the cruciatus curse lazily.

"So Albus told the truth," another man stepped closer. His eyes were reddish and his nose looked unnaturally flat. "The saviour of the wizarding world has fallen for a runaway deatheater."

"Albus?" Snapdragon gasped.

"Indeed," the Dark Lord replied lazily. "Like everybody, Albus Dumbledore has a price. It wasn´t so hard to figure out, actually. He sold you and your parents in exchange for Hogwarts all those years ago and again this afternoon. The safety of his students is more important to him than anything else."

He walked around Snapdragon and her capturer slowly.

"Albus says that you are able to open a window to another world. In fact, he claims that you were raised there." The wizard stared into Snapdragon´s eyes, but the girl occluded. "It seems they taught you well there. You will brew that potion for me and I will become the master of both worlds."

"Never!"

The Dark Lord chuckled. "Never is such a harsh word. Lucius, if you please."

An instant later Draco´s howls of pain filled the room. They turned to whimpers when the evil wizard signalled the older Malfoy to stop.

"How long will you be able to listen to his agony?" the Dark Lord asked kindly. "Ten minutes? Or twenty? Rest assured that Lucius can continue this for weeks without killing him. You will break in the end and give in. Why don´t you spare him the torture and do right away what I ask of you?"

"Don´t!" cried Draco, but his words were followed by more howls.

"Can you feel his pain?" the Dark Lord asked softly. "You can stop it. You´re the only one who can."

Snapdragon did some quick thinking. They couldn´t hold her all the time if she was to brew. Her chance to get away was bigger then.

"I´ll do it," she whispered, "but only if you stop it."

"No!" cried Draco. "You can´t endanger a world for me!"

"I can," replied the redhead. "I must, for my world is at stake."

"Aaaawww!" mocked Lucius. "Aren´t they sweet?"

The Dark Lord chuckled.

"Where can I brew," asked Snapdragon. "And where do I get my ingredients from?"

The evil wizard conjured a work space with a merrily burning fire and a cauldron with a lazy wave of his hand. "For the ingredients, give a list to Lucius." He pointed at parchment and quill on the table.

Snapdragon sat and wrote her list. She added several ingredients, which weren´t needed.


	31. The Final Confrontation

**The Final Confrontation**

Half an hour later, Lucius Malfoy returned with a big basket full of potion ingredients. Snapdragon laid them out on the table.

"I need to do magic in the course of brewing. Promise that Draco won´t be hurt for it." She glared at the Dark Lord, who agreed with a nod.

Snapdragon started with conjuring a cup and making herself a peppermint infusion.

"If you mock me, he shall pay!" cried the Dark Lord, furious.

"Wait!" cried the girl. "I need the cup to know when to add the ingredients. It´s a delicate brew and the steam of the infusion tells me when to add what!" And it was going to cover the smell of the potion and make copying the brew hard, but of course Snapdragon didn´t tell that.

The snakelike wizard glared at the girl suspiciously, but let her proceed.

Snapdragon brewed slowly, but she knew that she couldn´t be too slow. If Albus was the traitor, the Dark One knew that brewing the potion didn´t take longer than two hours.

The two hours were nearly up when Snapdragon allowed the silver mist to form. The Dark Lord stepped closer, eager to see the other world.

Snapdragon didn´t know the place. It was old and dusty and only few rays of sunlight lit the small room. Dad was there.

"My Lord," he said, "let me go and look for Harry Potter for you!"

"Severus," replied the dark creature, who looked even more snake-like than the one standing beside the redhead, "I can´t allow that." He hissed to the giant snake, which lay in a corner of the room. "You have what I want. What I need."

"Whatever it is, my Lord, I will gladly hand it over to you."

"There are things that can´t be handed over, my poor Severus. You may find it comforting that I do not enjoy this." The evil creature signalled the snake, and the reptile slithered to Dad and wrapped its rope-like form around him. When Dad was unable to move, the snake ripped his throat.

Dad cried out in agony. Blood was all over the place.

The silver mist wavered and the image dissolved.

"You killed my father!" shrieked Snapdragon, in agony. Her heart ached and she could hardly breathe. The evil creature beside her was slammed back into the nearest wall like Sirius Black had been when he had dared to insult the girl´s beloved parent. But this time Snapdragon didn´t apologize. She let her magic flow, driven by her anger and pain.

The Dark Lord burst into flame. The fire was red in the beginning but soon turned green and barely a minute later it was over. The evil creature was no more, what stayed behind was a heap of ashes.

Snapdragon bent over, exhausted.

"We have to run!" Draco´s voice said urgently from behind her and she felt him gently touch her shoulders. Unable to decide for herself, the girl followed the blond out of the room. They had barely reached the entrance, when they heard an angry roar from the behind them.

"Father´s not happy," Draco stated. "We can´t leave the house against his will. He controls the wards. We have to hide."

So this must be the Malfoys´ house, Snapdragon thought. She followed Draco up a staircase and into a room at the end of the corridor.

"This was my grandmother´s room. It´s hardly ever used," explained Draco. "Can you put up a ward to keep him out?"

Snapdragon shook her head. She was exhausted.

"I can´t without a wand," Draco whispered, frightened. "What can we do?"

"Do you trust me?" the redhead whispered back. "Are you ready to leave everything behind?"

Draco waved at the house at large. "What is there worth staying?"

Snapdragon rummaged in her pocket. "Get me a container. A glass or something."

Draco went searching and returned with a small vase. "Can you use this?"

The girl nodded and extracted a wavering ball of potion held by a spell. She dropped it into the vase.

"You nicked some of the brew!" cried Draco.

Snapdragon rummaged in her pocket again and added some herbs to the liquid. The silver mist formed.

Harry was pacing the Gryffindor Common Room. Snapdragon could have sung with joy. There was a mirror in the Common Room.

"Harry!"

"Snapdragon?"

"Harry, go to the mirror! Quickly!"

The boy obeyed. Green eyes met black.

"Harry, I have no time to explain. You have to pull me through or I´ll be dead in five minutes or so!"

Harry extended his hand as far as it would go and Snapdragon reached out for him. She stretched her other hand out to Draco. "Whatever happens, don´t let go!" she ordered.

There was a noise in front of the door.

"Harry, pull!"

The last glimpse of Malfoy Manor Snapdragon caught was Lucius Malfoy breaking the door. Then Harry succeeded and she fell through the mirror. For a moment the girl thought she had used too little potion and the window was too small. The transit was painful like never before. It was as if her universe refused to let her go for a second time. But then Snapdragon realised that it was Draco´s weight holding her back and she pulled, physically and magically. After what seemed like forever – a split of a second would with an irate Lucius Malfoy after you – the resistance weakened and they moved.

Snapdragon landed in a heap on the floor with Draco on top of her.

"Malfoy!" Harry had his wand out in an instant.

"Harry, no!" Snapdragon disentangled herself from Draco. "He´s a friend!"

"Are you sure?" Harry wasn´t easily convinced.

"Very sure," smiled Snapdragon. She placed a quick peck on Draco´s lips. "As sure as I can be. – Are we safe here?"

Harry nodded. "I killed the evil git an hour ago."

"Not before he murderered Dad," Snapdragon said sadly. "I saw."

Harry smiled. "Why don´t you come to the hospital wing. You have a nasty scratch on your cheek."

They walked down the stairs in silence. The castle was half destroyed. Unlike the other world, there must have been a battle at Hogwarts. Madam Pomfrey was bustling about busily when they entered her realm.

"Ah, Snapdragon, right on time. He´ll be glad to see you when he wakes." She pointed to the far end of the room.

The girl didn´t wait for confirmation. She raced down the aisle, ignoring the other patients until she reached the last bed in the corner. Dad lay there. He was deathly pale and his neck was heavily bandaged but his chest rose as he breathed. Snapdragon threw herself on the wizard with a howl of triumph.

"A little more careful," came auntie Poppy´s amused voice from the door.

Snapdragon scrambled up to a sitting position. Harry and Draco joined her. "She says it will take some hours until he wakes, but he´ll live. – Why don´t we talk in the meantime?" Harry asked, amusement in his voice.

Snapdragon leaned back into Draco´s embrace. "Can we talk a little later? I´m tired."

-x-

They talked when Dad was back up and about. Dad, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Snapdragon and Draco were assembled in the headmaster´s office.

"It´s good to see you safely back, my child," said Albus´ portrait. The old wizard smiled benignly. "And you brought somebody with you. I wish you happiness in this world, my boy." He smiled at Draco, who was eyed suspiciously by the others.

"Things were so different from here in the other world," said Snapdragon. "Their Draco is a sweetheart and their Albus a traitor." She smiled at Draco happily.

"Things might get complicated if I exist twice in this world," Draco pointed out.

"You won´t," said Harry. "Draco Malfoy died in the Room of Requirement in a Fiendfire."

"But his parents will realise that I´m not their son."

"They both died in the battle," said Ron.

"You´re the only surviving Malfoy in this world. If you decide to keep the name and appearance, the Malfoy fortune is yours." Dad smiled.

"But you know that I´m not the rightful heir!"

"Why would any of us tell on you? If you´re as good a person as my daughter says, the Malfoy fortune will finally be used for good purposes."

-x-

**Ten Years Later**

Severus Snape, headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, smiled as he read the newspaper. It wasn´t the first time he had made the front page, but certainly the most happy occasion.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," the paper informed its readers, "was the location of a most joyous event yesterday evening. A triple naming ceremony was held at the castle for the grandchildren of headmaster Snape. The wizarding communities youngest members are James Severus Potter, Albus Severus and Lilian Poppy Malfoy. The proud parents, the headmaster´s adopted son, Harry James Potter, and his wife Ginevra and the headmaster´s daughter, Snapdragon Malfoy and her husband Draco received their family and friends´ well-wishes on behalf of their children at the Great Hall of Hogwarts.

Mr. Potter, who was promoted Head of the Auror Office only a week prior to the birth of his first child, was glad to stay at his childhood home for the ceremony.

Mrs. Malfoy, resident potions mistress of Hogwarts school, informed us that she will return to teaching as soon as possible. "My husband," said Mrs. Malfoy, "was kind enough to take over my lessons when teaching became too exhausting for me, but I, along with the rest of the wizarding world, would like to see him back at his social projects rather sooner than later."

Mr. Malfoy, who is known for his efforts in the promotion of muggleborn witches and wizards and his counselling for the Department of Muggle Relations, expressed his happiness about the birth of the twins and his readiness to stay at home for as long as he was needed. Later that evening, your reporter saw him deep in conversation with Minister Weasley, so it seems safe to say that his next project is to be expected soon."

Severus smiled. Life was good.

The End.


End file.
